"that the road was horrible, and new tracks had to be cut through the woods. It took an entire day for one brigade to move 3 miles."

Permanent crews for the gunboats are being rapidly organized. The mortar boats cannot be used in the Tennessee or Cumberland, and I doubt if they will ever be of much use in the Mississippi. Neither navy nor army officers have much faith in them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, January 30, 1862.

Brigadier General U. S. GRANT, Cairo:

Your letter of the 28th, in relation to Colonel Cavanaugh's command, is received. You will organize your command into brigades and divisions, or columns, precisely as you may deem best for the public service, and will from time to time change such organizations as you may deem the public service requires, without the slightest regard to political influences or to the orders and instructions you may have heretofore received. In this matter the good of the service, and not the wishes of politico-military officers, is to be consulted.

Get all the troops you can from Illinois, and organize and supply them the best you can when you get them. Don't let any political applications about brigades and divisions trouble you a particle. All such applications and arrangements are sheer nonsense and will not be regarded.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

SAINT LOUIS, January 30, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN:

Your telegraph respecting Beauregard is received. General Grant and Commodore Foote will be ordered to immediately advance, and to reduce and hold Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River, and also to cut the railroad between Dover and Paris. The roads are in such condition as to render all movements exceedingly slow and difficult.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Louisville, Ky., January 30, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,

Commanding U. S. Army:

MY DEAR FRIEND: I inclose you an extract from a letter I have just received from an intelligent and well-informed person I have at Paducah. I believe his suggestion to be feasible at this time in whole or in part, and I don't hesitate to urge the attempt. It should be done promptly, as the present stage of water in the rivers renders useless all the obstructions that have been placed in them.

The destruction of the bridges and the boats on the Cumberland and