troops to draw his fire on city, but must vigorously repel any attempt to land. He has already cut the telegraph wires on his passage up.

J. C. PEMBERTON.

JACKSON, MISS., March 25, 1863.

JOHN HUNTER,

Mayor, Natchez, MISS.:

The force now in Natchez is there to protect our telegraphic communication, and it is the duty of the officer to do so. If citizens are apprehensive, on the approach of a hostile force they must leave. The officer is directed not to fire on gunboats unless an attempt is made to land or shall first fire on them. Temporary inconvenience must be submitted to for the general good.

J. C. PEMBERTON.

JACKSON, March 26, 1863.

Major-General BUCKNER, Mobile:

Will you send me the regiment of cavalry? It is much needed. Please answer.

J. C. PEMBERTON.

[MARCH 26, 1863. -For Pemberton to Taylor, in reference to application for artillery for Western Louisiana, see Series I, VOL. XV, p. 1024.]

JACKSON, March 26, 1863.

Brigadier-General GEORGE, Grenada, MISS.:

Order the State troops at Vaiden and Winona, leaving a sufficient guard for the public stores at each place, to report to General Loring at Fort Pemberton.

J. C. PEMBERTON.

HDQRS. SECOND DIST., DEPT. OF MISS. AND EAST. La., Vicksburg, March 26, 1863.

Major R. W. MEMMINGER,
Asst. Adjt. General, DEPT. of Mississippi and East Louisiana:

MAJOR: I have received no report from Featherston for two days. We were then driving the enemy slowly down Deer Creek, 8 miles below Rolling Fork.

Last night [S. D.] Lee was at Wilson's. He will advance to the high ground at Hardee's, and there fortify. near Hardee's a bayou rises, which is navigable for boats and supplies into the Yazoo 3 miles above the mouth of Deer Creek. To get to the ground where he now is, Lee had to make use of skiffs.

The enemy are at Omega, 14 miles above Hardee's, in what force we have not yet been able to ascertain.

The route by which the Deer Creek expedition is to proceed is so much shorter than any other that I regard it as by far the most important movement that the enemy are making against us. Their transports pass into Steele's Bayou from Terrapin Neck; thence up it to the