I have to report that the paymasters have finished their work and gone, and henceforth any shrewd person can see that I am not attending to their transactions.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

DISHROON'S PLANTATION, April 29, 1863-11. 30 p. m.,

VIA MEMPHIS, May 5-9. 30 a. m. (Received May 8-6 p. M.)

The gunboats and transports came safely through from Hard Times Landing this evening. The batteries at Grand Gulf were nearly as active as in the morning, and Admiral Porter thinks that in one of the lower batteries a large gun had been mounted during the afternoon. No harm was received in the passage either by boats or men. General McClernand's corps are all ready to embark, but it seems to me doubtful whether they will get on board before daylight, through General Grant has given the most urgent orders. They will land above Rodney, just below the mouth of Bayou Pierre. The casualties on the fleet to-day have been 22 killed and 55 wounded.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

DISHROON'S PLANTATION, April 30, 1863-2 p. m.,

VIA MEMPHIS, May 4-7 p. m. (Received May 8-4. 10 p. M.)

The DIVISIONS of Carr, Hovey, and Osterhaus were landed safely without opposition at Bruinsburg, MISS., at the mouth of Bayou Pierre, at 11 a. m. to-day. The DIVISIONS of A. J. Smith and Logan are now embarking and will be landed before night. All seems now to be going on well, though had any other general than McClernand held advance, the landing would certainly have been effected at daylight.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

GRAND GULF, May 4, 1863.

VIA MEMPHIS, May 9-11. 30 a. m.

My information from the front this morning is that Logan occupied the ferry across the Big Black, on the principal road hence to Vicksburg, at Lynax's yesterday. He had a brief skirmish there and took 100 prisoners, including those picked up by him in his march during the afternoon.

General Grant left him for the front at 1 a. m. this morning. He has ordered up from Milliken's Bend 120 wagons loaded with hard bread, coffee, sugar, and salt, to come via Perkin's and this place; four hundred thousand rations similarly constituted are to run the Vicksburg batteries. Of Sherman's corps, the three DIVISIONS of Steele, Tuttle, and Blair should begin to arrive here to-day, having moved from Young's Point on the 1st instant.

The Sixth Missouri Cavalry, for some weeks employed on the Louisiana side, disembarked here and at Bruinsburg this morning, and will