it may greatly facilitate Buell's operations to send a couple, at least, of the lighter ones to Nashville. Captain Maynadier, Tenth Infantry, will be ordered to Commodore Foote, at his request, as his ordnance officer for mortar boats.

GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

CAIRO, ILL., February 25, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

If we send four gunboats up the rivers Tennessee and Cumberland, as you direct, and having two to repair, extensively, on the ways, at Mound City, and the Benton not being ready before next week, this, separated to the rebels planting guns to bear ont eh mortar boats, if we should shell them now, before the final attack, would seem to render it impracticable to do anything until next week. Ten we and bad men sent us from the East, with the crippled condition of the gunboats, also render an earlier attack or even demonstration on Columbus, in my judgment, injudicious.

A. H. FOOTE,

Flag-Officer.

PADUCAH, February 25, 1862.

General HALLECK:

Colonel Callender passed down without my seeding him. there are eight unarmed Ohio regiments here. Expect General Sherman back this evening. Have sent your telegraphs to General Grant by steamer Hastings an hour ago, and as well by Conestoga this moment. All fleeing from Weakley County, Tennessee, to escape impressment. Since Governor's message 17 have arrived in Mayfield to-day, making their way to Paducah. They say have are 1,200 Union men in that county. The cavalry force burned everything at Camp Beauregard-private houses as well as their own huts. The trees are all felled across Blandville road, but the bridge is left for their won convenience. They are destroyed on all the other roads. the cars run down to the end of the road, but hey blew up the locomotives.

D. STUART,

Colonel, Commanding.

CAIRO, February 25, 1862.

General HALLECK, Saint Louis:

SIR: Our telegraphic wires being down, and being possessed of Memphis papers of the 18th, announcing in emphatic terms an intention to evacuate Columbus, I came down to see General Cullum, that the place should be so watch as to prevent the removal of their heavy ordnance.

I herewith send you these papers, which I had given to Colonel Them, who was to have gone up this morning, but did not get off. I think these papers will convince you that the intention to evacuate Columbus has been made public. My scouting party went to Mayfield, Milburn, and some 5 miles towards Columbus. At Milburn they encountered a