CLEVELAND, November 7, 1864. SECRETARY OF WAR: Captain Kelly, steamer Pacific, from Buffalo, boarded the propeller Georgiana, about twenty miles this side of Buffalo, Saturday night; found a crew of eight men, six of them drunk, and reported that they were going to Port Sarnia, from there to Chicago, with wood, and would freight with grain to return. Saw nothing to excite suspicion, and let her go. Major-General HOOKER: CINCINNATI, November 7, 1864. The following dispatches have just been received: Major-General HOOKER: DANVILLE, ILL., November 7, 1864. Reliable men in this district give following information: A stranger overheard to say to notorious Copperhead, "I am one of Forrest's men. Forrest has been in disguise alternately in Chicago, Michigan City, and Canada for two months; has 14,000 men, mostly from draft, near Michigan City. On 7th of November, midnight, will seize telegraph and rail at Chicago, release prisoners there, arm them, sack the city, shoot down all Federal soldiers, and urge concert of action with Southern sympathizers." Capt. C. H. POTTER: W. FITHIAN, Captain and Provost-Marshal. SPRINGFIELD, ILL., November 7, 1864, Colonel Sweet, commanding, has arrested several noted conspirators and is apprehensive that his camp (Douglas) will be attacked on election night; he asks for reenforcements. I have no troops to send him. Cannot troops be sent from Cincinnati, or some other point, to his instant relief and support. Large quantities of arms and important papers have been seized. JOHN COOK, Will General Hooker please acknowledge the receipt of this. Col. B. H. HILL: C. H. POTTER, Assistant Adjutant-General. CLEVELAND, November 7, 1864. Captain Kelly, steamer Pacific, from Buffalo, boarded the propeller Georgiana, about twenty miles this side of Buffalo, Saturday night; found a crew of eight men, six of them drunk, and reported that they were going to Port Sarnia, from thence to Chicago, with wood, and should freight with grain to return. Saw nothing to excite suspicion, and let her go. It may be advisable to direct your tug to overhaul her at Sarnia, and if suspicious to take her in tow. JOS. HOOKER, Major-General, Commanding. Capt. C. H. POTTER, SANDUSKY, OHIO, November 7, 1864. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Northern Department, Cincinnati, Ohio: Telegraph General Cook that the wires have never been put to worse use than that of transmitting that part of his telegram of to-day relating to Forrest and his 14,000 men. It is all stuff. No attack is apprehended at Chicago; but to relieve Colonel Sweet direct General Cook to send the two entire organized companies at the camp near Springfield to report to Colonel Sweet at Camp Douglas on or before sunset on the night of the 8th. Send them under a fighting officer. Colonel Lathrop will see that this order is executed, and then return to headquarters. Colonel Sweet will have these companies returned to their camp the day after the election. JOS. HOOKER, Major-General, Commanding. Maj. Gen. J. HOOKER: * CINCINNATI, OHIO, November 7, 1864. The following dispatches have just been received. Major Burnett has just returned from Indianapolis, and he thinks that General Hovey might spare 500 men to send to Chicago, and there is no trouble anticipated at Indianapolis. Capt. C. H. POTTER, [Inclosure No. 1.] C. H. POTTER, Assistant Adjutant-General. SPRINGFIELD, ILL., November 7, 1864. Assistant Adjutant-General: The reports received by General Cook represent the arrest at Chicago of several very prominent men belonging to the State, and several very prominent rebel officers in disguise, among them a brother of Marmaduke, with colonels, &c. The plan appeared to be to make an attack, as they have 1,000 or 2,000 arms, and release the prisoners election night. I have no evidence here that there is any trouble at Rock Island. General Cook has not a man to send to Chicago. Is it possible to help Colonel Sweet in any way? He apprehends trouble. S. H. LATHROP, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Inspector-General. Capt. C. H. POTTER, [Inclosure No. 2.t] SPRINGFIELD, ILL., November 7, 1864. Assistant Adjutant-General: I very much need the assistance of Colonel Lathrop for a few days. Will you authorize him to remain? He consents to do so. The demand for troops at Chicago is imperative. JOHN COOK, Brigadier-General, Commanding. I have telegraphed to General Cook that Colonel Lathrop might remain. *Here marked as inclosures. C. H. POTTER, Assistant Adjutant-General. t For inclosure No. 3, see Cook to Potter, November 7, p. 694. SANDUSKY, OHIO, November 7, 1864. Col. B. J. SWEET, Commanding Camp Douglas, Chicago: I apprehend no attack on you, but to make yourself perfectly safe [collect] all your force, leaving your convalescent men to guard the prisoners, arming all the officers and soldiers that you can find in and about Chicago on leave or duty, and holding them well in hand until the crisis of the election has passed. The Board of Trade and other loyal citizens will take care of Chicago, if necessary. This will leave you a handsome battalion to fight with, if required, and I only regret that your dispatch did not reach me in season to allow me to be with you. I have directed General Cook to re-enforce you with two companies from Springfield, to join you as early as sundown to-morrow night. JOS. HOOKER, Major-General, Commanding. CHICAGO, ILL., November 7, 1864. Brig. Gen. W. HOFFMAN: (Similar dispatch to General John Cook.) B. J. SWEET, Colonel, Commanding. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, November 7, 1864. Colonel SWEET, Chicago, Ill.: Your telegram to Brigadier-General Hoffman has been received. The Department approves your energetic action. Notify General Hooker, also the commanding general of your district, and call upon them for any aid you require. Hold on to the prisoners and arms seized. E. M. STANTON, Col. B. J. SWEET, HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS, Commanding, Chicago: The Governor of Illinois has directed the militia of Chicago to be held subject to your orders. Command them at once. JOHN COOK, Brigadier-General. SANDUSKY, OHIO, November 7, 1864. Bvt. Maj. Gen. A. P. HOVEY: On the receipt of this, dispatch 500 men to Chicago, under fighting officers, and provided with sixty rounds of ammunition. Send them by extra traius if the movement can be expedited. They must be there at the earliest practicable moment. To-morrow shall be there myself. Troops to report to Colonel Sweet. JOS. HOOKER, Major-General, Commanding.. WASHINGTON, November 8, 1864—11 a. m. Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN : Price is now probably driven south of the Arkansas River, and. Canby* will collect all his available forces at some point on the Mississippi River, destroy the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and either move toward Selma or operate on Beauregard's rear. I think Thomas should take the offensive as soon as troops from Missouri arrive. Abundant stores are collected at Hilton Head and Pensacola, with transportation to any other required points. I think you are now free to move as soon as you choose. H. W. HALLECK, KINGSTON, GA., November 8, 1864-5 p. m. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff : Dispatch of to-day received. All my preparations will be completed by the 10th. It is now raining, which is favorable, as the chances are, after it clears away, we will have a long spell of fine weather for marching. General Thomas has been instructed to assume the offensive as soon as possible, and I will send him a copy of your dispatch, that he may know of the contemplated movement on the river by General Hurlbut. I doubt if Hurlbut has the nerve to conduct such an expedition, and would suggest that you leave Canby at liberty to select any other, according to his judgment. * (Copy to Major-General Thomas.) W. T. SHERMAN, Canby, as written by Halleck, but as received by Sherman the dispatch read Hurlbut. See Sherman's reply, following. VICKSBURG, November 8, 1864. Major-General SHERMAN: Your dispatch of October 30 was received yesterday. Hatch's division of cavalry was at the Tennessee River at last account. Two infantry divisions, under General A. J. Smith, and a brigade of cavalry are in Missouri in pursuit of Price. They have been ordered to Memphis by nearest route, but this is contingent on where the orders may reach them and the time uncertain. The effective field force left on the river is very light, and the posts from Cairo to Natchez are held by small garrisons, but I will to the extent of my force carry out your instructions. A demonstration of 3,000 cavalry from Baton Rouge is promised into lower Mississippi. Magruder is moving in force on Major-General Steele at Little Rock. The enemy is threatening to move across to the east side of the Mississippi at Gaines' Landing, where Major-General Reynolds is ready for them. (Same to General Thomas.) N. J. T. DANA, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN, Comdg. Military Division of the Mississippi, Rome, Ga.: GENERAL: Not knowing the address of your field staff, I direct this to yourself, and have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, yesterday at 10 a. m., of your dispatch dated Rome, Ga., October 30, 1864, which I have answered briefly by telegraph this day. Under paragraph 52, Special Orders, No. 171, current series, from the War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, dated Washington, May 7, 1864, viz, orders given by Major-General Canby, commanding the Military Division of West Mississippi, will be obeyed by all troops on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River. Almost the entire field force on the eastern bank of the river has been ordered temporarily, under instructions from Major-General Canby, into Arkansas and Missouri, and the posts on the river from Cairo to Natchez are now held by very light garrisons. The two infantry divisions (Right Wing, Sixteenth Corps), under command of Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith, and one cavalry division, under Colonel Winslow, are now in Missouri, under General Rosecrans. I inclose a copy of Major-General Canby's order in regard to these troops, but fear they will not reach Memphis in season to serve the present emergency. One cavalry division, under Brigadier-General Hatch, was near Clifton, on the Tennessee River, when last heard from, under orders to join Major-General Howard in the field. The tri-monthly return for October 31 of District of Vicksburg shows the following aggregate of troops present for duty: |