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General McPherson has been compelled to send his largest division to Steele and another to Natchez. His garrison at Vicksburg is small, and we must keep up that picket on the Valley road, relieving it by a new one weekly. You can take all the horses of Corse's scouts except 10, and send Corse's scouts to him. Mount as many as you can to serve as scouts and patrols to your front. Send Corse's scouts to him to-day; he needs them as messengers.

W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.

SHERMAN'S HEADQUARTERS,
September 16, 1863.

Generals CORSE, ASBOTH, and BUCKLAND: General Steele has taken Little Rock, and our forces are pursuing the enemy to the southwest. This is important; announce it to the troops.

W. T. SHERMAN.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Vicksburg, September 16, 1863.

Maj. Gen. S. A. HURLBUT,

Commanding Sixteenth Army Corps, Memphis:

GENERAL: Official information having just been received from General Steele that he is in Little Rock, and that Price is retreating, pursued by Davidson, I have, by direction of Major-General Grant, ordered Brig. Gen. John E. Smith to return to this place with his command without disembarking it, unless General Steele has some important move on hand which renders it necessary that he should remain for the present.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. B. MCPHERSON,

Major-General, Commanding.

OFFICE MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON,

Cairo, Ill., September 16, 1863. (Received 19th.)

Maj. Gen. S. A. HURLBUT,

Commanding at Memphis, Tenn. :

GENERAL: Your communication of the 13th reached me here. I was at the points you speak of myself, but neither saw nor heard of any indications of guerrillas. I sent a gunboat there, and have ordered two more. Captain Phelps was ordered up White River to re-enforce General Steele with four more gunboats.

If anything occurs requiring immediate action, will you please notify me here, until Captain Phelps returns to his station. I can sooner meet requisitions for gunboats.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
DAVID D. PORTER,

Rear-Admiral, Commanding Mississippi Squadron.

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MEMPHIS, TENN., September 16, 1863-9 p. m.

DEAR RAWLINS: I saw Mr. Sargent this afternoon, and learned from him the purport of your dispatch concerning the cavalry and the satisfaction given him by Colonel Binmore.

It seems, from all I can learn by conversing with General Grierson and Colonel Binmore, that it was agreed by General Grant and General Hurlbut that the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Eleventh Illinois, and Tenth Missouri Cavalry should go.

This arrangement don't seem to meet the case at all, for, in the first place, you get no colonel who is worth more than Mudd, Clark Wright, or Mussey-in fact, none of these regiments have a colonelso that your cavalry simply becomes an armed mob with no one to control it. None of the three regiments selected are in anything like a creditable state of organization, discipline, or equipment.

In the second place, my understanding of the case was that you wanted a cavalry commander quite as badly as the cavalry itself, and I have only to say on that head that I always thought Hatch Grierson's superior, and to-day I became thoroughly convinced that my judgment was properly founded. I inspected the Second Iowa this afternoon, and I say to you what I said to Hatch, that, though it is not all that cavalry should be, it is by far the best cavalry regiment in the Department of the Tennessee; and what is more, Hatch is the best officer and ought to be sent down. From what Sargent said, you probably take the same view of the case, and therefore wish Hatch's regiment to be sent. Hurlbut (who, by the way, between me and you, is small enough to be envious and jealous of General Grant) knows fully the worth of Hatch's regiment, and will retain it here unless you order it down.

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I don't like this part of the machine." We have too many generals engaged in semi-civil affairs, to the utter neglect of their military duties. I have not yet seen a general but he was commanding a "post," or "district," or a "city. I have reviewed and inspected nearly all of the Sixteenth Army Corps, and have not yet seen any part of the troops on the parade ground commanded by a general. This may be a little surprising to you, but is nevertheless true. These distinguished gentlemen should be required to assume command of their men as their first duty, and dispose of civil and trade business afterward. They should be held responsible for the discipline, order, and instruction of their troops, and give their first attention to these matters rather than devote their undivided time to cotton, Confederates, and corruption. I tell you, sir, the Government of the United States cannot be upheld in purity and honesty by hands that lay aside the sword for instruments of trade and peace. We want soldiers, not traders; generals, not governors and civil agents. A few hundred thousand bayonets led by clear heads and military rules can crush the rebellion, but a million without military generals can do nothing except by main strength and awkwardness. The system of occupying undisputed territory is all wrong. We must put our armies in the field and compel our generals to lead them against the enemy, and if they fail from ignorance put them aside. I am disgusted with the whole system.* Pardon this hasty note, and believe me, devotedly, your friend, J. H. WILSON.

*Some purely personal matter here omitted.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Chattanooga, September 16, 1863.

Major-General HURLBUT,

Memphis, Tenn.:

The general commanding directs me to say that he is greatly obliged to you for the locomotives, and requests that you send them at once via Louisville.

J. P. DROUILLARD, Captain and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF MEMPHIS,
Memphis, September 16, 1863.

Lieut. Col. HENRY BINMORE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Sixteenth Army Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report for the information of the major-general commanding corps that the flag of truce sent out on the 12th instant, under instructions received by me from him, has returned, and to inclose herewith the receipt of Maj. H. H. Chalmers, of the Confederate forces, for the communication sent by the flag. I am, colonel, very truly, your obedient servant, JAMES C. VEATCH, Brigadier-General.

Maj. H. H. CHALMERS,

Senatobia:

[Inclosure No. 1.]

GRENADA, MISS.,
September 15, 1863.

Go to Hernando and receive communication by flag of truce.

JAS. R. CHALMERS,

Brigadier-General.

(Inclosure No. 2.]

HERNANDO, MISS.,
September 15, 1863.

Received at this place, of Capt. G. C. Graves, Second Iowa Cavalry, under flag of truce, a sealed communication indorsed "Headquarters Sixteenth Army Corps, Official Business," and addressed Commanding Officer Confederate Forces, Panola, Miss."

Captain Graves desires me to state that he proceeded with flag of truce as far as Coldwater River, where he was met by the Confederate pickets and by them ordered back to this point, which statement I hereby make.

I am the officer duly authorized by the commanding officer of this district to receive said communication.

H. H. CHALMERS, Major, and A. A. A. G., General Chalmers Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIV., SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

COMMANDING OFFICER.

La Grange, Tenn., September 16, 1863.

First Brigade, Second Division:

The Second West Tennessee Infantry (African descent) will proceed to Moscow in the morning to relieve the Seventh Iowa Volun

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teers, which will be stationed at this place. The camp and garrison equipage will be taken by rail.

By order of Brig. Gen. T. W. Sweeny, commanding :

LOUIS H. EVERTS,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF MEMPHIS,

Memphis, Tenn., September 16, 1863.

Maj. D. E. COON,

Commanding Second Iowa Cavalry:

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You will until further orders send out daily strong patrols to reconnoiter the country between Memphis and White's Station, along the line of the military railroad. Any important information elicited or results attained will be reported direct to these headquarters.

By order of Brig. Gen. James C. Veatch:

JAMES O. PIERCE, Assistant Adjutant-General.

[SEPTEMBER 16, 1863.-For Foster to Halleck, relating to re-enforcements from Lee to Bragg, &c., see Vol. XXIX, Part II, p. 199.]

Major ECKERT ;

FORT MONROE, September 16, 1863.
(Received 7.15 p. m.)

The Richmond Dispatch of to-day received. Says:

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Generals Johnston and Forrest skirmished with the enemy near Dalton Friday. Forrest wounded. The Yankees advanced to Tunnel Hill. General Wheeler had a skirmish near La Fayette same day; enemy being too strong, fell back. A general engagement expected. Rosecrans occupies Chattanooga, and it is reported Burnside has joined him.

J. C. ROWE.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Near Gordon's Mills, Ga., September 16, 1863-8.25 p. m.
(Received 12.20 p. m., 17th.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

From information derived from various sources from my front, I have reason to believe what you assert in your dispatch of 4.30 p. m. of yesterday is true, and that they have arrived at Atlanta at last. Push Burnside down.*

W. S. ROSECRANS,
Major-General.

* Copy as received by General Halleck reads: "and that they have arrived at Atlanta. At least push Burnside down."

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
September 16, 1863.

J. GUTHRIE,

President Louisville and Nashville Railroad:

It will be absolutely necessary for your road to furnish us more transportation. The general impression is that private freight and express goods have preference over all others. Itrust you will have this remedied at once. This transportation is a military necessity, and we must have it, even if we have to press the whole road into the service, which I shall not hesitate to do unless things are remedied.

W. S. ROSECRANS,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Crawfish Spring, September 16, 1863.

Capt. J. C. VAN DUZER:

The general commanding wishes the telegraph line extended to this point as soon as possible. Build it via Rossville and the Dry Valley road. Complete it to Rossville, and open an office there as soon as you can.

Very respectfully,

C. GODDARD,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

CHATTANOOGA, September 16, 1863.

Colonel INNES,

Supt. of Railroads, Dept. of the Cumberland:

The general commanding directs me to say that 6 locomotives will be sent at once from General Hurlbut at Memphis to this department, by way of Louisville.

Captain MERRILL :

J. P. DROUILLARD, Captain and Aide-de-Camp.

SEPTEMBER 16, 1863-12 midnight.

Cannot be more definite with accuracy. Smoke and dust were raised by troops passing to the south-southeast, as it was heaviest in that direction; distance, 20 miles; continued for more than an hour. BRENT,

CIRCULAR.]

Lieutenant and Acting Signal Officer.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Crawfish Spring, September 16, 1863-4 p. m. The general commanding directs corps commanders to send in at once a statement of the location of their picket lines. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. GARFIELD. Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

(Copy to Major-General Thomas, Major-General McCook, and Major-General Crittenden.)

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