only advanced one-FIFTH length of canal. Country overflowed to that distance. No progress yesterday. If canal is successful at all, must be very slow process. General Loring reports, 12 o'clock last night, no attack on Fort Pemberton on Tallahatchee yesterday. On 11th, one iron-clad attacked in the morning and one in afternoon. Both repulsed. One boat damaged; part of her inner works, with piece of shell sticking in it, floated against raft opposite fort. Nothing important from Port Hudson yesterday.

J. C. PEMBERTON.

HDQRS. DEPT. MISS AND E. La., Jackson, March 13, 1863.

His Excellency John J. PETTUS, Governor Mississippi:

GOVERNOR: I have the honor to state, for your information and others concerned, that I consider the following-named counties and parts of counties within the State of Mississippi as coming within the limits where men not now in Confederate service, and of any age, may be taken into State organizations as being without the control of enrolling officers, viz, Tunica, De Soto, Marshall, Tippah, Tishomingo. That part of Panola county north of Tallahatchee River to Panola town, thence east to Oxford, in LA Fayette County, thence east through Pontotoc County to Pontotoc, thence east through Itawamba to Fulton.

Within this district of country I do not consider under instructions from War Department, that enrolling officers have the right of interference.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. C. PEMBERTON.

CAMP ON DEER CREEK, Washington County, March 13, 1863.

Major J. J. REEVE,

Assistant Adjutant-GENERAL:

MAJOR: I have the honor to make the following report: On the 15th of February ultimo I received, by the hand of a citizen, a letter from Captain E. W. Sutherland, U. S. Navy, a copy of which is herewith forwarded. *

The department was at once informed of the result of that interview, and furnished with the notice of Admiral Porter, then communicated by Captain Sutherland, who expressed his willingness to communicate at any time that it should be necessary by flag of truce. On 25th of same month, I received instructions from Lieutenant-General Pemberton, which I was ordered to communicate to Captain Sutherland, or any other Federal officer. I at once sent by flag of truce a letter, a copy of which is herewith forwarded. + After keeping the party with the flag of truce at Greenville for several days in the further effort to communicate, the ravages of the Abolitionists on Lake Washington compelled me to withdraw the party, except a sergeant and one man, whom I left at Greenville with the flag and letter. I accidentally learned from a citizen that on or about the 4th instant a gunboat, the Curlew, landed a party, who met the flag of truce, disarmed the bearers, and took them on board, where they were rudely treated, and their dispatch broken open and read. It was then returned to them with the remark

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*Not found; but see pp. 626,636,637,645,650.

+See p. 656.

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