Port Hudson. A body of Texas troops, about 800, attacked Lake Providence on the 10th instant, and were repulsed without much loss on either side. An African regiment fought well.

Have no news of Kirby Smith. An expedition to Deer Creek returned to Haynes' Bluff day before yesterday with 400 cattle, a large number of horses and mules, 300 negroes, and 10 or 12 rebel prisoners. There, as everywhere else, the country is rich in corn and cattle. McClernand left yesterday on his way to Memphis. It appears that ten days ago he invited General M. K. Lawler to attend a meeting of officers from his corps, at which resolutions commendatory of himself (McClernand) were to be passed. Lawler refused, on the ground that it would be a mutinous proceeding, and does not know whether such a meeting was held.

C. A. DANA

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

NEAR Vicksburg, June 21, 1863-6 a. m.

VIA MEMPHIS, June 26-9 a. m.

(Received June 29-2. 40 p. m.)

Artillery attack yesterday from 4 a. m. till 10. a. m. vigorously maintained. Besides gunboats enumerated in my last dispatch, Porter had two [guns] on flats behind the point, and brought two gunboats close up before Vicksburg, making in all about two hundred cannon engaged. The result is to settle the question of a further attempt at present to assault the place, or to leave its reduction to the regular progress of siege operations. During the attack no rebels were visible, nor was any reply made to our artillery, their musketry fire also scarcely amounted to anything. Of course much damage was done to the buildings of the town by such a concentrated cannonade, but we cannot tell whether their mills, foundry, or store-houses were destroyed. Their earthworks were, of course, little injured. General Grant has ordered of mortars on-fifth of one hundred. On Steele's right, in the bottom, about half a mile in the rear of his advance lines, a position has been found from which the entire town is seen and commanded. The earthworks for a heavy and powerful battery have been thrown up. It is intended to put in it the guns of the sunken gunboat Cincinnati, which are but little under water and can easily be recovered. I may state here that the report that any of them have been taken out is false. It will require some days to complete the battery, but when it is done all the buildings in the town can be destroyed by it. Porter reports to General Grant, on the authority of several deserters, that 5 or 6 Federal prisoners, black and white, captured by the rebels in the recent fight at Milliken's Bend, were hanged at Delbi in the presence of General Taylor and his forces, drawn up in hollow square for the purpose. A sergeant of ours, taken by I. F. Harrison's rebel cavalry at Perkins' plantation, was also hanged.

C. A. DANA

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

NEAR Vicksburg, MISS., June 22, 1863-9 a. m.,

VIA MEMPHIS, June 28-Noon.

(Received July 1-11 p. m.)

Joe Johnston's plan is at last developed. He began yesterday to throw his army across the Big Black at various points above Bridgeport, and