HEADQUARTERS MAURY'S DIVISION,
Vicksburg, April 11, 1863.

Major REEVE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: The battery in Fort Pemberton is very formidable. Nowhere in the West is there a position the approach of which is subject to so heavy a fire. As soon as it is ascertained that the enemy has passed through the Yazoo Pass I hope that those guns, or most of them, will be returned to Haynes' Bluff. On the Yazoo River I passed the large steamers Republic and Alonzo Child lying dismantled and idle. They are much needed as store-boats at Haynes', wither I hope they will at once be carried. The Magenta and Mary Keene, with 2,000 bales of cotton on them, are doing no service. They cannot be fired into without being set on fire. They cannot deliver fire without being set on fire, and until the cotton is taken off they cannot serve as transports because of the danger of fire. As there is great need of transports on the Yazoo and its tributaries now, to enable us to get in the abundant and excellent subsistence stores with which that region abounds, I have flet it not inappropriate to call these matters to the notice of the lieutenant-general commanding. The facts relative to the Magenta and Mary Keene were given to me by Captain I. N. Brown, their commander.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.

[24.]

HEADQUARTERS MAURY'S DIVISION,
Vicksburg, April 15, 1863.

Major MEMMINGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: The current of the Yazoo is becoming daily more rapid, and it may not be possible to keep the raft in position much longer. Its breaking will be the signal for a heavy attack on Snyder's. The batteries there are very weak-weaker than when attacked last winter. As the enemy has gone out of Yazoo Pass I hope the two 8-inch guns, the 32-pounder rifle, and the two 12-pounder rifles will be at once brought down from Fort Pemberton to Snyder's, and that two more 10-inch guns can be placed there, if they have to be drawn from Vicksburg. Only very heavy batteries at Haynes' and Snyder's can close the Yazoo if the raft breaks.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DABNEY H. MAURY,

Major-General.

[24.]

VICKSBURG, April 16, 1863.

Major General CARTER L. STEVENSON:

DEAR CARTER: The breaking of raft involves immediate necessity for increasing the batteries at Snyder's. Please let Hebert relieve me in command of my division, and let Moore also make his headquarters at Snyder's. Hebert is overworked there, and anyhow we may expect an early attack there. Perhaps sinking a steamer near the raft may mend the matter, but we should at once have some heavy guns there