HEADQUARTERS MAURY'S DIVISION, Vicksburg, March 28, 1863.

Brigadier General L. HEBERT:

GENERAL: Please send Magnolia as high up Sunflower as she can go, so as to take Featherston's command up to Loring. Ferguson will keep the Fortieth Alabama Regiment, the battalion of infantry, and six guns. The Magenta will at once take on board the Third Mississippi Regiment and a light battery and go to General Loring. The light battery will be designated as soon as possible. Before the regiment can be embarked you will be notified what battery to send. In the meantime order Ridley's to get in readiness. Send Lee's regiment now at Snyder's back here at once, and the others of his brigade as fast as they come in. Featherston is not to take any artillery with him, but will leave his section with Colonel Ferguson, who will decide which two guns of the eight he will send back to Haynes' Bluff.

By order of Major General D. H. Maury:

D. W. FLOWERREE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[24.]

HEADQUARTERS MAURY'S DIVISION, March 28, 1863.

Brigadier-General HEBERT:

GENERAL: General Maury will go up on the Magenta, provided she can take the Third Mississippi and the battery, which is to be Hogg's four guns, and the one of Sengstak's, which is at Snyder's. Detain her till his arrival.

Respectfully, general, your obedient servant,
D. W. FLOWERREE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[24.]

RICHMOND, VA., March 29, 1863.

[Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:]

SIR: The orders of General Pemberton, prohibiting the transportation of provisions from Mississippi, are producing the most disastrous consequences to the people of Mobile and the immediate adjoining counties. I learn that General Buckner has issued a counter order, prohibiting the transportation of all articles of food of Mississippi. Strife and disorder must follow as a necessary sequence of this policy. I learn from Mr. P. Hamilton, chairman of the committee of safety of the city, that placards were stuck up at the corners of the streets, "Bread or Peace, &c. I learn also that there is a large amount of corn on the railroad already purchased and going to waste. There is also a large quantity that can be bought, which will be useless unless it be permitted to pass on the road. Is there no mode of relief? If the order could be suspended for twenty or thirty days some benefit would result from it.

I am sir, yours, very respectfully,

E. S. DARGAN.

[24.]