Vicksburg, May 26, 1863.

Major General MARTIN L. SMITH, Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: The lieutenant-general commanding directs that you do not send the Louisiana regiments, as directed, to the support of Major-General Stevenson, as Brigadier-General Bowen will send brigade commanded by Colonel Cockrell; supply their place in your trenches by that of Brigadier-General Green.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. C. TUPPER,

Aide-de-camp.

HEADQUARTERS STEVENSON'S DIVISION, May 26, 1863.

Major MEMMINGER, Assistant Adjutant-GENERAL:

MAJOR: I send you a number of prisoners taken to-night by a party sent out by General Barton to protect the working party. They got in rear of these pickets of the enemy and captured them. They state that they came from Haynes' Bluff to-day; that they have a DIVISION at the gin-house about three-fourths of a mile beyond our works, on the Warrenton road, and two more in supporting distance. I have placed all my reserves upon the river front, but that will still leave a large space between the city and redoubt unoccupied. This will be after I have placed every man I can in the trenches there, and will leave me no reserve for any point. The howitzer promised by the lieutenant-general had not arrived at the redoubt at 12 o'clock to-night, and was not outside of the city, on the road. As this be the only gun on the river front, please ask him to give me more, if possible. If other guns cannot be furnished, I will take them from other points on my line, but this I dislike to do until the movements of the enemy are further developed.

The enemy can land any force at Smeede's plantation without our knowledge. From that point there is a narrow strip of open land along the river bank to the city, entirely practicable for the movement of a column at night. The distance from the rifle-pits to the river is between 800 and 1,000 yards. My pickets extend across the bottom of the river, but it is impossible to place a force there sufficient to check an advance, and it would be immediately under an enfilading fire of their gunboats. The distance from my right to the city is nearly 2 miles, a large portion of which has not been trenched. For the last three days I have been engaged with my men in remedying this deficiency, making rifle-pits. These, if completed and properly manned, would protect the river front, but, with the force at my disposal, only a small part of them on the left can be occupied. Not knowing what force there is the vicinity of the south side of the, I feel it my duty to remind the lieutenant-general of these facts.

Your obedient servant,
C. L. STEVENSON.

Vicksburg, May 26, 1863.

Major General C. L. STEVENSON, Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I am directed by the lieutenant-general commanding to say to you, in reply to your communication just received, that the information contained comes from you at rather a late hour, and that he was informed by you on several occasions that the position was a strong one, and you thought you hold it. He has hoper that the evils mentioned