dicated by Captain Gwin, commander of gunboat Tyler. Charge the officer of the company sent that the district of country into which they are doing is strongly Union, and they should be on their good behavior, and disprove the lying reports made against our forces by the secessionists.

I hope to hear a good report from this expedition, not only of the favorable impression made, but work done.

U. S. GRANT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

CAIRO, ILL., February 15, 1862

Brigadier General U. S. GRANT, Cairo, Ill.:

General Halleck telegraphs me that you are assigned to the new Military District of West Tennessee, and General W. T. Sherman to relieve you of the charge of this. Another quartermaster will be sent to you in a few days to relieve Captain Baxter.

Captain W. W. Leland, assistant commissary of subsistence, was ordered by me on the 13th instant to report to you for duty in the field without a moment's delay. Go on as you have commenced in your glorious work. I expect to learn to-morrow that Fort Donelson is ours and the center of the enemy's line is broken and their right and left isolated and in retreat, leaving no hostile foot on the soil of Kentucky. You are in the great strategic line. The telegraphic line is completed and in working order to Smithland, and is being rapidly pushed on to your headquarters.

Tell Lieutenant-Colonel McPherson that his engineers should strengthen the land defenses at Fort Henry and remove his heavy guns there. I have sent two 32-pounders from Fort Holt.

G. W. CULLUM,

Brigadier-General, and Chief of Staff.

CAIRO, ILL., February 15, 1862.

Brigadier General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding District of West Tennessee:

Glad to have your encouraging letter of yesterday, which I will forward to General Halleck. Don't be rash; for having the place completely invested, you can afford to have a little patience. I have ordered all the transportation I can lay my hands upon. The ammunition you want is not here nor scarce any ordnance stores of any kind. I have sent an urgent telegram to General Halleck. You must not keep the steamers I send up to you, or I'll be deprived of all means of supplying you with troops, ammunition forage, food, &c. Every boat I have taken and am crowding everything, but there are no steamers now disposable.

G. W. CULLUM.

Brigadier-General, Chief Staff.

LOUISVILLE, February 15, 1862

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN:

I advised you that I was preparing to go to the Cumberland or Tennessee as a main line of operations, and I should have embarked to-