Vicksburg, April 5, 1863.

Lieutenant-General PEMBERTON:

I cannot state that an attack is imminent; it is not probable that I could have many hours' notice of an attack. The enemy are in force in our front, and I respectfully submit my opinion that, until that shall have been much reduced, not another gun of any description should be withdrawn. I ask that your order for two batteries be suspended until further information confirms the apprehensions of Loring. Please answer soon.

S. L. STEVENSON.

[Indorsement.]

Say to General Stevenson he can await further orders.

[J. C. PEMBERTON.]

SNYDER'S MILL, April 5, 1863.

Lieutenant General J. C. PEMBERTON, Jackson, MISS.:

GENERAL: I have examined the obstructions at Snyder's Mill, and find the current unusually rapid, resulting from the opening of the levees on the Mississippi by the enemy, the effects of which concentrate at this point from the various tributaries of the Yazoo. The current as described, influenced by the storm of the night of the 29th ultimo operating upon the structure, caused the upper section to part, yielding only by the severing of the material. By this, the strength of the structure becomes sustained (the drift becoming more compact and self-sustaining). It now becomes necessary to increase the connections of the remaining sections, and with other repairs now rapidly progressing, when completed, will, in my opinion, render all perfectly safe. I send an agent to procure all the hawsers and chains that can be found suitable for the to procure all the hawsers and chains that can be found suitable for the purpose. Please give him the proper authority to procure them. Mr. McFarland will explain the necessity of these measures.

Respectfully,

THIS. WELDON.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MISS, April 5, 1863.

Colonel S. V. FERGUSON, Comdg. Confederate Forces, Deer Creek:

COLONEL: In honor and obedience to your verbal instructions, Captain C. H. Bell, in command of steamboat Emma Bett, and myself, proceeded as far up the Bogue Phaliah as it was navigable for a steamboat, say the mouth of Clear Creek, up which stream we went about 2 1/2 miles, and found it made off into a large cypress swamp. At the mouth of Clear Creek we found it impossible to go farther up in the Emma Bett, owing to immense obstructions, and were forced to make the remainder of our voyage in a skiff, through what is known as The Narrows. We found great difficulty in going through this place (which is about 20 miles in length) in a skiff, in account of five large rafts of drift-wood, inter-woven occasionally with growing timber, extending usually from 15 to 30 rods across the stream from one side to the other; we found innumerable logs across the stream from one side to the other, which is about 30 feet wide, and no dry land on