her pick it up. This latter plan was suggested by the officer of the ram Queen of the West, when I was on board of her, yesterday afternoon. Colonel Ellet seems to be full of energy and resources. If he will devise a practical method of getting coal to his boats, and needs assistance which I can give, tell him to call on me.

Since Captain Breese passed through the canal in his skiff, several logs and obstructions have been removed, and the current has cut more width and depth. Captain Prime, to facilitate the opening of a new mouth, has temporarily closed the old one; still, water finds its way in, and runs through with a strong current, and so threatens the overflow of the ground south of the railroad that I have ordered the removal of the camps to this side of the railroad, but will keep strong guards at the foot of the canal, and at the Bigg's place.

Don't you want two 30-pounder Parrott guns on that side, and the ferry-boat now all loaded with cotton and covered with iron?

I am, &c.,

W. T. SHERMAN.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. Fifteenth ARMY CORPS, Number 34. Camp before Vicksburg, February 6, 1863.

I. General Steele will detail the FIFTY-eighth Ohio to report to General Grant on board the Magnolia at 10 a. m. February 7, 1863, for service on the gunboats. They will be organized into companies, with one officer to take charge of each company. Any officer with the regiment in excess of this number will be detached and assigned to some other Ohio regiment or battery. General Steele will also detail one or two regiments, amounting in the aggregate to about 600 men, for duty, to go up the river on the Yazoo Cut-off expedition in the gunboats. They will be ready to embark on steamboats early to-morrow morning, provided with FIFTEEN days' rations. As they are to serve on gunboats during this expedition, they will not need tents or transportation, and will leave them in charge of some officer and regimental guard, to await the return of this detachment.

II. Brigadier General D. Stuart, commanding SECOND DIVISION, will detail two mounted orderlies and two infantry men (guards) to report to the president of the military commission on board steamer Forest Queen.

III. The officer in charge of the two 30-pounder rifle guns now in position at the mouth of the canal will deliver them, with their ammunition and implements, to the order of Colonel Ellet, commanding the ram Queen of the West, now lying at the lower landing.

The officer commanding the infantry guard will assist with all his men in putting these guns and ammunition on board the Queen of the WEST in such manner as Colonel Ellet may request.

* * * * * * *

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

J. H. HAMMOND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS Fifteenth ARMY CORPS,

Camp before Vicksburg, February 7, 1863.

General CURTIS,

Saint Louis:

DEAR GENERAL: Mr. J. L. Curtis presented your note. General Grant is now here, and I commended Mr. Curtis to him on the business on which he came. He is on the point of starting back, and I avail myself of him to write you a few words.