HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, April 24, 1865.

Brigadier General T. W. SHERMAN,

Commanding Defenses of New Orleans:

GENERAL: Information is received that a rebel ram passed Donaldsonville this morning. The dispatch is dated 9. 20 a. m. If the report has foundation it must be their intention to run the mouth of the river. You will be in readiness for any movement of that kind if it should occur.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SOUTHERN DIVISION OF LOUISIANA,
New Orleans, April 24, 1865.

Major-General BANKS,

Commanding Department of the Gulf:

Your letter of this date is received. Before receiving it I sent a telegram to the commanding officer at Fort Jackson and Saint Philip, conveying the information and directing him to sink the ram with his heavy armament if she passed there. I have the mortification to say that the operator could not raise Fort Jackson, and it was not until some time after the ram, unfortunately, succeeded in passing here that he was able to raise the operator at Quarantine Station, but not Fort Jackson. It is hoped, however, and confidently expected, that the message will get to Fort Jackson long before the ram reaches there.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. W. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

U. S. NAVAL HEADQUARTERS,

Numbers 148 Canal Street, New Orleans, La., April 24, 1865.

Major General N. P. BANKS,

Commanding Department of the Gulf, New Orleans:

SIR: In reply to your letter of 12. 20 p. m. this day I hope the honor to inform you that I have ordered Captain George F. Emmons, senior naval officer afloat here, to prepare every available gun in the fleet now her for immediate service and to bring them to bear on that point of the river by which a vessel coming down the river can reach this port. I have none but wooden vessels here and such as come to port for repairs, except the steam-sloop Richmond, Captain Greene, now bound up river from Mobile Bay, with a battery of twenty-two 9-inch guns. I am glad to learn the batteries in the Southern Division of Louisiana have been ordered to the placed in position to bear on the river, and the naval force now in this port will do their best to co-operate with them.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. K. THATCHER,

Acting Rear-Admiral.