steamers and its varied apparatus of artillery, infantry, and cavalry, is a very useless as well as a very costly institution.

Your dispatch of the 5th just received. Many thanks.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

BEHIND Vicksburg, June 12, 1863-7 a. m.,

VIA MEMPHIS, June 14. (Received June 16-4 p. M.)

Colonel E. W. Gantt, of Arkansas, who commanded a brigade at Island Number 10, was exchanged, and has since lived in retirement, came in yesterday from within the enemy's lines, and surrendered himself to General Grant, who has sent him to Memphis at his own wish as a prisoner. He gives information of the greatest importance. His motive is desire to bring the war to a close. The rebellion, he says, is near its end, and, if it should not perish by our arms, must fall from its own administration and general corruption into mere military despotism. Slavery, he thinks, is also ended forever. According to his report, Bragg has sent all his material to Atlanta, and is ready with his unincumbered troops to fall back to Bristol and Chattanooga as soon as ordered, so that he may hold those places, while he detaches 25,000, including sick and wounded. The order to evacuate Port Hudson arrived there the very day General Banks opened his lines before it. WEST of the Mississippi, exclusive of Texas, is Kirby Smith's command (32,500 men). He has been ordered to leave every object, except the relief of Vicksburg. Lee's army has not been reduced; on the contrary, it is stronger and more concentrated than ever. What supplies of provisions Pemberton has he does not known, but he knows that percussion caps have been got to him, and that Johnston and he have daily communication.

Herron will to-day take his position on the Warrenton road, taking care, of course, that the garrison at Vicksburg, shall see the whole of his march from Young's Point across to the point just below Vicksburg, where his troops will be ferried across the Mississippi. General Grant has also determined to place the whole of Burnside's re-enforcements in that part of the lines, and to put the whole of, from McClernand's left, including Lauman's, Herron's, and Burnside's troops, under command of Ord, whose arrival is constantly expected. The siege works have been checked for twenty-four hours by violent storms, but were resumed yesterday. A 9 inch navy gun in McPherson's front is doing very efficient work. Fired at 300 yards, its shells penetrate the rebel parapet some 10 feet and then explode, clearing the parapet away as if by a mine. Should General Grant think it advisable to assault again, we are now in position to do it with effect; but, unless Johnston becomes very pressing, he will rather trust to time and general compression. General Grant has ascertained that a colonel, a captain, and 4 men got out of Vicksburg night before last by going up the Mississippi in a boat, landing on this side of the river just above the sunken gunboat Cincinnati, and making their way through the bottom and across the Yazoo 2 miles

7 R R-VOL XXIV, PT. I