BEFORE Vicksburg, March 22, 1863.

Major General John A. McClernand, Comdg. Thirteenth Army Corps:

You will please send forward at once to the Yazoo Pass expedition four of your 30-pounder Parrott guns, and a sufficient force (not less than 80 men) from the First U. S. Infantry. They will take with them thirty days' rations. They will be under the command of Captain George A. Williams, of said First U. S. Infantry. The steamer Dacotah has been ordered to transport them, and will be in readiness at Milliken's Bend early to-morrow morning (the 23rd instant) for their embarkation.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

BEFORE Vicksburg, March 22, 1863.

Major General WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, Comdg. Fifteenth Army Corps:

Your report, and also Admiral Porter's, were received yesterday. As the admiral called for more troops to protect him, I immediately ordered McPherson to send down one DIVISION of his command.

I regret that the chances look so gloomy for getting through to the Yazoo by that route. I had made so much calculation upon the expedition down Yazoo Pass, and now again by the route proposed by Admiral Porter, that I have made really but little calculation upon reaching Vicksburg by any other than Haynes' Bluff.

As soon as the admiral can get his gunboats back for service, I will concentrate all my forces and make a strike. Finding that we fail in reaching the east bank of the Yazoo upon the route you have gone, there is nothing further to do with troops where you are than to guard the gunboats, and return when they do. What difficulty is in the way of reaching the Yazoo by going down Deer Creek?

U. S. GRANT.

BEFORE Vicksburg, March 22, 1863.

Major General J. B. McPHERSON, Comdg. SEVENTEENTH Army Corps:

It is now clearly demonstrated that a further force, in by the way of Yazoo Pass, can be of no service. The party that first went in have so delayed as to give the enemy time to fortify. I see nothing for it now but to have that force return the way they went in. I will let them try Greenwood a short time longer, however, and see, too, if Admiral Porter succeeds in reaching the Yazoo on his present route. In the mean time I want concentrated as near here as possible all the troops now scattered from Young's Point to Helena. You may take immediate steps to collect your forces. The DIVISION of General J. E. Smith will belong to your army corps.

U. S. GRANT.

LAKE PROVIDENCE, La., March 22, 1863.

Brigadier General John A. LOGAN, Commanding THIRD DIVISION:

GENERAL: You will move your DIVISION to Eagle Bend, on the east bank of the Mississippi River, where General Stuart's DIVISION landed with a view to re-enforcing Major-General Sherman from that point.