Osage in time to dash down amongst them if they try anything of the kind, still, With all that, the taking can be done. I do not know what else would bring these fellows here in such a hurry, and why they avoid a fight so. They lost 98 killed at Milliken's Bend according to their own account, and a proportional number of wounded, also some horses. I tell you what I suppose to be their plans, you May see something else in the movements.

I caught a messenger from Vicksburg night before last, slipping our in a canoe. I keep a picket boat out on the Mississippi side, above the canal, and the fellow was floating by lying down. He would tell nothing, we only know that he threw his package overboard, and we could not get it. He says their are sixty days' provisions in Vicksburg, which we know cannot be so. Says we have killed nobody and done no damage which is bosh.

I have told Captain Walker to supply 32-pounder guns, if you want any at Haynes' Bluff. Will have carriages in a day or two for those there if your want them, thought the guns are very heavy, and will be difficult to transport.

Everything is quiet up the river. Hearing that Price was advancing on Helena, I SENT A FORCE OF GUNBOATS THERE.

Very, truly, yours

DAVID D. PORTER,

Acting Rear Admiral.

General GRANT.

Number 6. Report of Captain Abraham E. Stickle, commissioner, of attack on Milliken/s Bend. Headquarters UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS, Milliken's Bend, La., June 9, 1863.

GENERAL: It is With feelings of regret that we have to communicate to you the sad intelligence of the loss of at least 100 our white and black troops.

But while it is painful to record this butchery, it is a pleasure to know that they stood firm, while they had commanders, and that three fourths where they were ordered to make their stand. It is not our purpose to attach blame to any one, or to eulogize any for the part they took in this fight, or the military sagacity that was brought to bear to prepare for this occurrence. You will recollect that on the 25th ultimacy addressed you a line in which the condition of affairs so far as protection to the district of country from Lake Providence to Young's Point is as yourself, deemed sufficient for the adequate protection of this territory. We have learned from the results following the orders you made security army by useless if the instrumentalities to be used for carrying out such orders either overrate their works consequence and sagacity or underrate all the sources of danger that my see perfectly apparent to others. We utterly failed to convince those in command that there was any necessity to prepare in season for the raid that has been made upon us and even when it had been commenced, our extreme solici