CINCINNATI, September 15, 1863-11.15 p. m. The dispatch I sent you at 8.15 this evening was in compliance with explicit instructions from the General-in-Chief. It must be complied with with energy and expedition. By command of Major-General Burnside: W. P. ANDERSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. CINCINNATI, September 15, 1863-11.30 p. m. Brigadier-General BOYLE, Louisville, Ky.: The movement being made comprises all the available force in the department. The troops at Indianapolis have been ordered to the front. I will at once send a company of heavy artillery to report to you for duty. If there be any other troops besides those already ordered, even at temporary risk and great inconvenience, they must be pushed forward at once. By command of Major-General Burnside: W. P. ANDERSON, W. P. ANDERSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. LOUISVILLE, September 15, 1863. Assistant Adjutant-General: I have ordered General Manson to command of troops at Glasgow belonging to General Hartsuff's command, and ordered Thirty-fourth Kentucky, Eleventh Kentucky Mounted, and Ninety-first Indiana to report to him. I have no troops to spare except on that line. I might order Fiftieth Ohio, at Muldraugh's Hill, sending one company to that place from Munfordville if you could send me an artillery company to man guns at Muldraugh's Hill. If I had had mustering officers, and could get arms and horse equipments, I could have had 5,000 men ready for action. The Seventh Indiana Cavalry is at Indianapolis. Why not order it at once? I understand there are 4,000 or 5,000 men at Indianapolis and some in Ohio. Can't you send them? J. T. BOYLE, LOUISVILLE, September 15, 1863-midnight. Captain ANDERSON, I will send all the troops I can possibly spare, even more than half if it can be done. I have taken all steps and given all orders for movement. Can you send company of artillery to man the guns of Muldraugh's Hill, so as to relieve the Fiftieth Ohio? Does the general indicate the route from Glasgow? It is 50 miles nearer Knoxville via Jamestown than to come round and go by the gap. J. T. BOYLE, Brigadier-General COMMANDING OFFICER, Cumberland Gap: CINCINNATI, September 15, 1863. Where is General Burnside, and what is the nearest point of telegraphic communication with him? How soon will a message reach him? VIII. Major-General Parke, now in this city, will at once proceed to Nicholasville, Ky., there resuming command of the Ninth Corps, and then push his command forward with energy and dispatch to join Major-General Burnside at Knoxville, Tenn. By order of Major-General Burnside: L. THOMAS, W. P. ANDERSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. CINCINNATI, September 15, 1863. Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington : Have just returned to duty from a sick leave. My command is under orders to proceed to Knoxville, but Special Orders, No. 337, War Department, requires me to go to Vicksburg. This order is dated July 27, but was not received until August 31. Shall I obey this order or join my command ? JNO. G. PARKE, General R. B. POTTER, CINCINNATI, September 15, 1863. Comdg. Ninth Army Corps, Lexington, Ky.: Will join as soon as I hear from Washington. When do you propose starting? JNO. G. PARKE, CRAB ORCHARD, September 15, 1863. S. G. GRIFFIN, -Colonel BOWEN: Shall we move on, as we are ready? Colonel, Commanding. CINCINNATI, September 15, 1863. Major-General BURNSIDE, East Tennessee, via Cumberland Gap: Am on my way to join you. Shall go down to Lexington this afternoon, and go forward as soon as transportation for baggage can be furnished. Shall look for any orders you may telegraph at Lexington. O. B. WILLCOX, OF THE GENERAL FIELD ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMY Otember 15, 1 1863. For the better defense of East Tennessee the loyal citizens are hereby invited and authorized to form themselves into companies, which will be known as the National Guard of East Tennessee. The company organization will be as follows: One captain, 1 first lieutenant, 1 second lieutenant, 1 first sergeant, 4 sergeants, 8 corporals, 2 musicians, 1 wagoner, and 64 privates (minimum) or 82 privates (maximum). The companies will elect their own officers, and as soon as the organization is complete either the captain or some other responsible officer will report at these headquarters with a roll of the company, when arms, ammunition, and necessary equipments will be issued. The companies will be mustered into the service of the United States; when called out by competent authority will receive the pay and allowances given other troops of same arm in the volunteer service. So soon as the term for which their services are actually required expires they will be ordered to their homes, retaining, however, their arms and equipments. The organization of the companies of the National Guard of East Tennessee into regiments and the appointment of field officers will be made at the proper time from these headquarters. The loyal citizens of East Tennessee are called upon to be active in forming themselves into companies in order that they may be armed with the least possible delay. The Government places arms at their disposal to be used in defense of their homes, and it is hoped they will come forward with promptness and do their part toward securing their several counties from invasion. By command of Major-General Burnside: LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. JULIUS WHITE, Comdg. Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps: I am directed by the major-general commanding the corps to say that you have permission to encamp your division at any point you may select between your present position and Knoxville. He directs that you move it to this place at as early an hour in the morning as is practicable. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. O. BROWN, Major and Aide-de-Camp. Major-General BURNSIDE, Knoxville, Tenn.: HEADQUARTERS, Two deserters arrived this afternoon. They left Jonesborough at 10 a. m. yesterday. One is John Sise; lives at Knoxville; claims to be a Union man conscripted. He refers to Col. John S. Williams, and Carver and Dickison. The other is Mathew A. Farwater, son of William Farwater, Knoxville; refers to Esquire Ragses. They say there are no troops at Jonesborough but Jackson's and Williams' command, gathered from along the railroad and salt-works; that no troops had arrived from Lee's army up to the time they left. The only troops they know of at Jonesborough are the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, Sixteenth Georgia Battalion, and one Virginia regiment of cavalry, one Virginia regiment of infantry, Thomas' Legion (without the Indians), and a regiment that arrived night before last, Barr's battery of four guns, and Lowry's battery, five guns. McClung's battery is thought to be at Carter's and Zollicoffer, with a few home guards at each place. They say there are no fortifications at Jonesborough. They do not know about any fortification at Jordon's Hill. They say there are some cavalry composing the advance, but most of the troops are in and about Jonesborough, under command of General Williams; that General Williams has left a small force at Saltville. They have heard reports of Ewell's corps coming, but are certain none of it had arrived at the time they left, as they were camped on the hill in sight of the town and depot. They heard it reported that there had been a raid on the Virginia railroad at Marion Station, which detained them. I have sent out scouts and spies, and think, at least, by noon to-morrow, I will have definite and reliable information, which will test the truth of what I have given you. I give this for what it is worth. The men appear to be honest and simple in their statement. I hold them until I hear from you again. If this account is correct, is not my contemplated movement feasible and fit to be made? Their estimate of force at Jonesborough is 4,000. General RAWLINS, JOHN W. FOSTER, Colonel, Commanding. SEPTEMBER 16, 1863. Vicksburg: Am just off from review, and am glad to hear the general is back. Tell him everything is well with me and to my front; to take good rest and be easy. He should be allowed absolute rest for a week. Let me know whether he sustained any internal or other injury, as reports of ribs, arms, and eyes have all reached me through all kinds of sources. The success at Little Rock is all he could ask in that quarter, and he will be well before any new combination is called for. W. T. SHERMAN, General RAWLINS, Vicksburg: SEPTEMBER 16, 1863. Good for Steele! He should not pursue too far. The only real battle needed in the Southwest will be at Shreveport, and for it we want high water in Red River. We cannot expect all natural advantages there till January. We should bounce the camps forming at Enterprise and Demopolis, and stir up the cavalry in the interior. Of course if Price abandoned Little Rock without fighting, Steele will not want John E. Smith's division, which should be recalled before disembarking, and we could, by October 1, begin to act here, provided some rain falls to supply the wells, cisterns, and creeks by the way. My own opinion is, that Arkansas River as high up as Little Rock can be navigated by small boats, in which case Steele should hold and fortify. W. T. SHERMAN, SHERMAN'S HEADQUARTERS, General MCPHERSON, Vicksburg: General Buckland says he is troubled by parties having your pass, by order of some staff officer, to pass out and in with wagons and marketing. I would not object to some system by which marketing could come in to be bartered for merchandise, but if we permit it we open all our lines to the enemy's scouts and spies. I think you had better discontinue all such passes till we can agree upon some just system. I proposed some such plan to General Grant on my return from Jackson, and he disapproved it. There is a great pressure to come in for medicine and necessaries, but we are in no measure called on to accommodate the people till they positively submit openly and frankly to our just authority. As soon as the general comes up I will submit a plan that will obviate all difficulty. W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General. SHERMAN'S HEADQUARTERS, General BUCKLAND, Oak Ridge: On our first coming in from Jackson I proposed to General Grant to open a species of trade with the people, to enable them to barter their produce for such merchandise as was needed by them, but he was opposed to all trade, and I have denied all trade. I have telegraphed to McPherson to give no more passes such as you refer to, as it is against our policy to permit persons to go into Vicksburg for any reason whatsoever. If there is to be any trade or barter, it should be at our border. If parties pass in or out by any other than the Ridge road, their wagons and horses should be confiscated. I will be up to-morrow and will talk over these matters. |