NEAR HAW'S SHOP, May 30, 1864-9 p.m. (Received 6.15 p.m., June 2.)

General Grant desires me to call your attention to an abuse which has existed at New Orleans, and possibly at Saint Louis also. When he took command of the Military Division of the Mississippi he found it in full bloom there. It consists in paying to officers who are lodged in the houses of rebels the regular communication for fuel and quarters. He suggested that a general order be issued prohibiting such communication in all the rebellious States. It is my duty to inform you that very serious mismanagement exists in the affairs of the Ninth Army Corps. The quartermaster's and commissary departments and the artillery alike suffer for want of necessary administrative authority. Animals are without forage and men without rations. It was to-day ascertained that the artillery horses of the whole corps have not had their harness taken off for the last nine days. Thus, in addition to the deficiency of their usual forage, they have not been allowed to take any advantage of abundance of grass upon the way. In consequence of all this their shoulders and backs are sore, and they cannot last much longer. General Ingalls thinks that 1,000 new horses will be immediately wanted to supply the waste thus occasioned. General Meade has to-day appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Monroe to serve temporarily as chief of artillery for the corps. He seems to have no power to interfere in the quartermaster's department. With regard to the rations the difficulty does not seem to lie with the corps commissaries, of which there are two, holding the rank of lieutenant-colonel, namely, Lieutenant-Colonel Goodrich and Lieutenant-Colonel Coale, but, with the commanding officers, who take no measures to prevent their men from wasting their rations, or throwing them away. In fact, after the first battle, Burnside, instead of allowing his men to learn by experience the wholesome lesson that rations cannot be thrown away without suffering, issued to them 50,000 extra rations to make up those disposed of. These facts are known to General Grant, and I report them to you because I think you ought to be made aware of them also.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

NEAR HAW'S SHOP, May 31, 1864-6 a.m. (Received 8.15 a.m.)

In Hancock's attack last night Colonel Brooke drove the enemy out of a strongly-intrenched skirmish line, and holds it. The losses are not reported. Burnside's whole corps got across Totopotomoy Creek last evening, and is in full connection with Warren's. The left flank of the enemy. Smith ought to arrive at New Castle by noon, whence he can support Warren and Burnside if necessary. Sheridan, with Gregg's and Torbert's divisions of cavalry, is on our left flank. Wilson is on the right and rear, for purpose reported in a former dispatch. The country hereabout is thickly wooded with pines, with few good openings. The indications this morning are that the enemy has fallen back south of the Chickahominy.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.