Force here available, 942 infantry, exclusive of militia. Very short of ammunition.

LLOYD TILGHMAN.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. Mississippi STATE TROOPS, Number 20. Jackson, March 11, 1863.

Brigadier-General Chalmers, of the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, having been assigned to the command of the FIFTH Military District of the Department of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana, comprising the two northern tiers of counties of the State of Mississippi, all State troops within that district will be subject to his command, and are hereby ordered to report directly to him.

By command of Major-General Tupper:

E. R. BENNETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

JACKSON, March 12, 1863.

JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President Confederate States, Richmond:

Since my telegram of the 9th to the Secretary of War, the levee at lower mouth of canal has given way; also embankments on sides of canal, supposed to be washed away; the neck flooded; work with spades stopped; one dredging-machine at railroad, nearly half-way through canal; another short distance in rear. Stevenson now has no doubt as to its success. Two 10-inch columbiads, one 10-inch mortar, 30-pounder Parrott, and one Whitworth, are effective against working parties by day, at mouth of canal. The range is 1 3/4 and 1 7/8 miles.

General Loring, from fort on Tallahatchee, 6 miles above Greenwood, telegraphs on the 9th:

From every information I can get, enemy's gunboats will be down to-morrow. They were 75 miles above here to-day.

I think General Loring will be able to repel them. It is impossible to determine correctly enemy's strength, because of overflow. Latest report gives six gunboats and about eighteen small transports in Tallahatchee. Not more than two gunboats can operate at the same time against the fort. Have no further intelligence of movements toward Aberdeen. Do not consider previous report reliable. Ellis' Cliff an admirable position, but has no relation to Vicksburg. Grand Gulf has; it defends points of approach. If canal is successful, Grand Gulf must be fortified, even if Ellis' Cliff is also. We have not guns for both. Indianola cannot be raised until river falls several feet. Steamboat captains think she can then be raised. Mississippi 5 feet lower than high-water mark last year, and rising at Vicksburg. Enemy, estimated by General Gardner, 30,000 at Baton Rouge; his advance daily expected. Essex left New Orleans Sunday. Farragut left on Hartford, with Richmond and Monongahela, on Monday. All gunboats, except Pensacola and Genesee, and all transports have gone up the river. Several large gunboats and many mortar-boats at Port Hudson. One hundred and tenth New York Regiment mutinied last Friday, when ordered to Berwick Bay. Wretched condition of Southern Railroad has greatly interfered with supplies for Vicksburg; now, however, hurrying them in. Am also receiving some from Red River, via Big Black.

J. C. PEMBERTON.