The gunboats kept the enemy alert during the night, and the town will probably be carried to-day. There are from 15,000 to 20,000 of Pemberton's army in it.

[C. A. DANA.]

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Battle-field, near Vicksburg,

June 9, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT, commanding:

GENERAL: The inaccuracy of the accompanying newspaper slip leads me to believe it is not official; yet, as it purports to be, I have deemed it proper to refer it, together with the accompanying letter from General Hovey and the reports of his brigade, commanders, to you, as affordent reliable means for all needful correction in the premises.

That General Hovey's DIVISION, of my corps, bore the brunt at Champion's Hill; that both it and the re-enforcement from General McPherson's corps were temporarily forced back; and that General Hovey's artillery, which had been massed for that purpose, aided by Captain Dillon's Wisconsin battery, of General McPherson's corps, retrieved and secured the fortune of the day in that part of the field, is susceptible of the clearest and most conclusive proof.

After the above, I hardly need say that I am not the author of the newspaper slip referred to.

I am, sir, with respect, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. McClernand,

Commanding Thirteenth Army Corps

Numbers 13. Reports of Brigadier General George F. McGinnis, u. S. Army, commandingFirst Brigade. HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, TWELFTH DIV. THIRTEENTH A. C., Champion's Hill, MISS., May 19, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the First Brigade in the battle of Champion's Hill, MISS., on the 16th instant:

We left our encampment, near Bolton, at 7 a. m. on the 16 the instant, and moved toward Edwards Depot, at which point the enemy were supposed to be in force. Receiving an order from Brigadier-General Hovey to advance rapidly and cautiously (a portion of Company C, first Indiana Cavalry, being ordered to the front by General Hovey, with instructions to scour the country and report any appearance of an enemy), I ordered forward three companies of the Twenty-fourth Indiana Infantry as an advance guard, and deployed two companies of the Forty-sixth Indiana Infantry as Flanders on either side of the road. After advancing about 5 miles and arriving near the foot of Champion's Hill, I was informed by the cavalry advance that they had discovered one of the enemy's batteries in position on the road, and about 800 yards in front of us. My command was immediately halted and formed in line of battle, skirmishers thrown out in front and on both flanks,