plan could be made by a few more heavy guns planted at the point indicated.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD HIGGINS,

Colonel, Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

Approved, and respectfully recommended.

STEPHEN D. LEE.

HDQRS. SMITH'S DIV., Vicksburg, February 12, 1863.

Major THEO. Johnston,
Commissary of Subsistence, Jackson:

DEAR SIR: I have received yours in relation to putting the mills on board the steamboat Scotland. I am informed that the corn received at Haynes' Bluff for this department is in a rotting condition, having been exposed to the rains, and kept in a leaky cotton-gin, where it has not even an opportunity to dry after being soaked cotton-gin, where it has not even an opportunity to the rains, and kept in a leaky cotton-gin, where it has not even an opportunity to dry after being soaked by the late rains.

Captain Brooks, owner of the steamboat Edward J. Gay, is now here, and says he will send the boat down to Haynes', to serve as a store-boat, for the same price quartermaster's department pays for the Scotland. The Gay is a larger and better boat, and has an engine to which we can attach the mills at once. Major Scott, assistant commissary of subsistence of General Hebert, will have the stores put on her at once, and I think we ought to secure her at once, as the quartermaster's department will take her, if we do not. Answer this immediately on receipt, as Mr. McFarland has already left here for the purpose of having the Gay send down to the Bluff for the quartermaster. I think it will be to the interest of the Government to secure her at once, in more ways than one.

T. B. REED,

Major and Commissary of Subsistence.

HDQRS. SECOND DIST., DEPT. MISS. AND EASTERN La., Vicksburg, February 13, 1863.

Lieutenant TAYLOR, Aide-de-Camp:

LIEUTENANT: The following is the information called for in your note of to-day:

Mississippi troops Aggregate Brigade

effective

present

First Light Artillery 789 Lee's.

THIRD Infantry 572 Not brigaded.

Fourth Infantry 455 Lee's.

Seventh Battalion 170 Hebert's.

Thirty-FIFTH Infantry 414 Moore's.

Thirty-sixth Infantry 312 Hebert's.

Thirty-seventh Infantry 420 Do.

Thirty-eighth Infantry 264 Do.

Fortieth Infantry 217 Moore's.

Forty-THIRD Infantry 483 Hebert's.

Forty-sixth Infantry 407 Lee's.

SECOND Regiment State 106

troops

SECOND Battalion State 88

troops

NOTE. -Companies A and G, First Mississippi Light Artillery, are detached with General Hebert's brigade; the SECOND Regiment and SECOND Battalion State troops are serving with Hebert's brigade.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,
C. L. STEVENSON.