though most of them had been hit yesterday, with Silver Wave (transport). Forest Queen (transport) had her steam drum broken under Vicksburg batteries, and was left above Warrenton, but has been repaired, and was brought down at 2 o'clock this morning. Admiral Porter reports no batteries at Warrenton, but some 10 or 12 pounder guns, which feebly answered his fire. No one was killed in passing Vicksburg; man supposed killed was only stunned. J. S. Bowen, commanding at Grand Gulf, has sent over three regiments to dislodge Osterhaus from New Carthage. His outposts were near ours, and there had been some ineffectual cannonading on the levee, the only point of approach by land.

On morning of 17th, before Admiral Porter arrived, a rebel steamer appeared just below New Carthage, but did not stay. On afternoon of 17th, Admiral Porter sent the Tuscumbia to shell out Bowen's camp, about 2 miles below Carthage. Whether Bowen had succeeded in getting his force back to Grand Gulf is unknown.

Admiral Porter sent Louisville (gunboat) down the Mississippi on morning of 18th, but we have received no news from there since. General McClernand has his headquarters on Mrs. Smith's plantation, on Roundaway Bayou, opposite the entrance of Bayou Vidal, about 3 miles from New Carthage. Osterhaus' DIVISION is mainly encamped there. Hovey's, Carr's, and A. J. Smith's lie along the road, Smith's holding the rear at Holmes' plantation, about 8 miles from Mr. Forsyth's. The levee along the Bayou Vidal is badly broken in three places, and the whole country between Roundaway and Mississippi being overflowed, troops can only be moved to New Carthage by water. General McClernand has constructed a number of scows, using for the purpose a fine saw mill on Holmes' plantahese and a few yawls he is hard at work transporting troops and supplies to New Carthage. By the same means, as well as by a scanty wagon train, somewhat increased by the ox-wagons of the country, he is transporting supplies down from Richmond.

On the 18th he was about to try and get the Silver Wave (transport) up Bayou Vidal, but a letter from him, written on the evening of that day, does not report that he has succeeded. It is probable that some dredging will be required at the mouth of that bayou before it will be accessible to any but very small steamers. Pride's cut-off is constantly worked at with much energy, but the engineers differ in opinion as to when loaded barges can get through it. Two small steamers, with barges carrying pioneers with tools, have this morning passed through the canal into Walnut Bayou, and Pride thinks that within three days he will steam to New Carthage, but Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Wilson, topographical engineer, thinks it will take a fortnight. The wagon road hence to Smith's plantation is in very good condition, and not likely to be overflowed. This road, as well as Pride's cut-off, is now protected against inroads of the enemy by overflow of the country toward the Tensas. The strip of dry land between the two lines of water is nowhere more than 3 miles wide.

Six transport steamers are being repaired to run Vicksburg batteries, viz, Tigress (side-wheeler), Anglo-Saxon, Cheeseman, Moderator, Horizon, and Empire City, all stern-wheelers; none of them less than 500 tons. Each will carry one hundred thousand rations in her hold and forty days' coal. They will hardly be ready before to-morrow night. As soon as they have gone down, General Grant will move his headquarters to New Carthage, and the attack on Grand Gulf will be made as soon as 8,000 troops can be embarked, but this will be delayed by