ing the numbers of Joe Johnston's forces forwarded in my dispatch of yesterday.

The days here are hot, thermometer sometimes rising to ninety at noon, but the nights are very cool. Showers have laid the dust for a week past. The army has hitherto got water from springs in the ravines, but this source is running out. Some brigades are digging wells; other haul water from distance. Health of troops is excellent.

C. A. DANA

Honorable E. M. STANTON

Secretary of War.

BEHIND Vicksburg, MISS., June 17, 1863-8 a. m.,

VIA MEMPHIS, June 21-11. 30 a. m.

(Received June 23-9. 15 p. m.)

General Sherman came down from Haynes' Bluff last evening. He reports the intrenchments there as perfectly satisfactory both in design and forwardness of execution. Reports from enemy he found very contradictory, but judges that Loring is this side of the Big Black, and is feeling this way down the peninsula, having the occupation of Oak Ridge Post-Office for his immediate object. That place is on the Benton and Vicksburg road, 9 miles south [north] east of Vicksburg, and nearly equidistant between the Yazoo and Big Black. General Sherman does not propose to hinder the approach of Loring by any active opposition, but to complete our chain of defense by simple works at two or three points between Haynes' Bluff and Vicksburg. The command at Haynes' Bluff is, of course, held by General Parke, though in the event of an active campaign General Sherman will go there.

General Herron reports that on the night of the 15th he threw forward the lines on his left, making an advance of 500 yards of the enemy's lines. They fired at him yesterday with six pieces of artillery, but killed only 2 of his men and wounded a few more. On the rest of the lines, as I have before reported, our sharpshooters prevent their firing cannons at all, except in the morning they sometimes discharge the pieces they have loaded in the night. General Grant will make another general assault as soon as McClernand's, Lauman's, and Herron's lines are brought up close enough. Our reports from within the place show that they are feeding their men more ample and with better food. The attempt to make bread of peas is abandoned, and corn-meal is used exclusively, and for meat they are issuing salt beef. Captain Comstock, of the Engineers, arrived here yesterday. General Ord is expected to-day. He will command both Herron's and Lauman forces.

C. A. DANA

Honorable E. M. STANTON

Secretary of War.

BEHIND Vicksburg, June 18, 1863-8 a. m.,

VIA MEMPHIS, June 21-9 a. m.

(Received June 23-9 p. m.)

Trustworthy information received here yesterday from Joe Johnston confirms what I have previously reported. Breckinridge is at Clinton with one small DIVISION; N. G. Evans, who now commands J. P. McCown's DIVISION, is between here and Big Black; Loring, whose DIVISION