In the mean time each DIVISION commander will day off and assign to each brigade its proportion of the levee, and this again will be subdivided so that each regiment and company will have space for the men, provisions, and camp and garrison equipage .

Each DIVISION commander will designate the place to be occupied by the artillery and cavalry. When the levee is thus occupied, the quartermaster, J. Condit Smith, will provide yawls and flats to carry stores to and from the boats to the regiments, and will, as soon as possible, provide the necessary steamboats to embark the command, placing General Steele's boats up the slough now occupied by McClernand's corps, and General Stuart's near the landing of the Magnolia.

These general instructions are now given, but the troops need not vacate their present camps till their respective DIVISION or brigade commanders think they are in danger; but all possible preparations will be made in advance.

By oreral W. T. Sherman:

J. H. HAMMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GRAND LAKE, ARK., March 7, 1863-10 a. m.

Major General JAMES B. McPHERSON,

Comdg. SEVENTEENTH Army Corps:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that this DIVISION, with the public stores, is nearly all on board the transports again, and that we shall be ready to start for Moon Lake by 12 m. I would invite your attention to General Grant's letter of instructions of the 3rd instant, and ask if it be not his intention to have me move down the Yazoo River with my own and Ross' DIVISION so soon as suitable transports are provided.

I am, general, very respectfully, &c.,

I. F. QUINBY.

LAKE PROVIDENCE, La., March 7, 1863.

Brigadier General I. F. QUINBY,

Comdg. Seventh DIVISION, Grand Lake:

GENERAL: Immediately on your arrival in Moon Lake you will disembark the troops from all the large boats which cannot go through the Yazoo Pass (say), over 180 feet in length, and send them back to bring up General Logan's DIVISION. As soon as boats arrive sufficient to take your command and General Ross', you will proceed down the Yazoo River to some eligible point and effect a landing. As soon as the troops have disembarked, and your position made secure, send the boats back to Moon Lake for the other DIVISIONS, which will be there by that time.

You will, owing to the insufficiency of boats at Moon Lake, find it necessary to leave most of your transportation, in order to take down as large a fighting force as possible. You will want to take with you a good supply of intrenching tools, and if you have not got them with you send your quartermaster to Memphis and procure them. You will exercise your own judgment in selecting the point of landing on the Yazoo River, the important object at first being to get a position which can be easily defended until re-enforcements arrive. When we get all out troops together, we can then risk the issue of a battle.