Vicksburg, May 5, 1863.

General RUGGLES, Columbus:

I order you to send at once to this point every available man you can, except your artillery at Columbus and your cavalry in advance. No excuse will be taken for not obeying this.

J. C. PEMBERTON.

OKOLONA, May 5, 1863.

Lieutenant-General PEMBERTON:

Brigadier-General [J. V.] Harris, with brigade of Mississippi State troops, ordered to proceed immediately to Vicksburg. No other infantry.

DANIEL RUGGLES.

CIRCULAR. HDQRS. DEPT. OF MISS. AND EASTERN La., Jackson, May 5, 1863.

Headquarters Department of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana is removed from Jackson, MISS., to Vicksburg. All communications will be addressed accordingly. The quartermaster's, commissary, and ordnance departments will remain in Jackson.

By order of Lieutenant-General Pemberton:

R. W. MEMMINGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[MAY 5, 1863. -For A. D. Banks to J. E. Johnston, in reference to supplies in Alabama and Mississippi, see Series I, VOL. XXIII, Part II, p. 816.]

Vicksburg, May 6, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON, Richmond:

General Beauregard sends but two brigades, perhaps not 5,000 men. It is a very insufficient number. The stake is a great one. I can see nothing so important.

J. C. PEMBERTON.

Lieutenant-General PEMBERTON:

Your dispatch of yesterday* received. Orders sent to Roddey. Large mounted force from Corinth led Forrest into Alabama. He has captured it. Will go into Mississippi. Have heard nothing further from you of the previous battle, reported on 1st. What is the result, and where is Grant's army?

J. E. Johnston.

TULLAHOMA, May 6, 1863.

Lieutenant-General PEMBERTON:

Forrest reported yesterday that he had been drawn with a part of his force into Eastern Alabama, pursuing a mounted party, which he captured. Roddey, commanding remainder, was immediately ordered

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*See p. 833.

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