er the defenses of that city.

The _Examiner_ to-day publishes Gen. Jos. E. Johnston's report of his
operations in Mississippi last summer. He says the disaster at Vicksburg
was owing to Gen. Pemberton's disobedience of orders. He was ordered to
concentrate his army and give battle before the place was invested, and
under no circumstances to allow himself to be besieged, which must of
course result in disaster. He says, also, that he was about to
manoeuvre in such manner as would have probably resulted in the saving
a large proportion of his men, when, to his astonishment, he learned
that Gen. P. had capitulated.

Willoughby Newton reports that the enemy are building a number of light
boats, to be worked with muffled oars, at Point Lookout, Md., and
suggests that they may be designed to pass the obstructions in the James
River, in another attempt to capture Richmond.

It is said Lieut.-Gen. E. Kirby Smith, trans-Mississippi, has been made
a full general, and that Major-Gen. Sterling Price relieves Lieut.-Gen.
Holmes, who is to report at Richmond. If this be so, it is very good
policy.

Gen. Lee is still here, but will leave very soon.

Gen. Bragg has taken measures to insure the transportation of meat and
grain from the South. Much food for Lee's army has arrived during the
last two days.

MARCH 17TH.--Bright, clear, and pleasant; frosty in the morning.

Letters from Lieut.-Gen. Hood to the President, Gen Bragg, and the
Secretary of War, give a cheering account of Gen. Johnston's army at
Dalton. The men are well fed and well clothed. They are in high spirits,
"and eager for the fray." The number is 40,000. Gen. H. urges, most
eloquently, the junction of Polk's and Loring's troops with these,
making some 60,000,--Grant having 50,000,--and then uniting with
Longstreet's army, perhaps 30,000 more, and getting in the rear of the
enemy. He says this would be _certain_ to drive Grant out of Tennessee
and Kentucky, and probably end the war. But if we lie still, Grant will
eventually accumulate overwhelming numbers, and penetrate farther: and
if he beats us, it would be difficult to rally again for another stand,
so despondent would become the people.

Gen. Hood deprecates another invasion of Pennsylvania, which would be
sure to result in defeat. He is decided in his conviction that the best
policy is to take the initiative, and drive the enemy out of Tennessee
and Kentucky, which could be accomplished to a _certainty_