[CHAP. XVII.

telegraph. General Johnston may rely upon my doing all that is possible. No artillerists here. Say to General Johnston that it is of the highest importance for dinghies of this place that he order Captain W. H. Jackson's battery here, and exchange with me some of the old regiments at Columbus of my division.

Information of constant fighting going on at Fort Donelson. We hear firing to this place constantly. I am about dispatching special couriers.

It would be well, I think, to order to this place as promptly as possible additional force. If Donelson should be overcome, we can make no successful stand without larger force.

Clark cannot reach here before 12 to-morrow, and will then be broken down by march.

GID. J. PILLOW,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Gainesborough, Tenn., February 6, 1862.

General A. SIDNEY JOHNSTON,

Department of the West:

SIR: I had the honor some days since to address you a communication by my volunteer aide, Captain Morgan, suggesting the removal of my command from this point to Chestnut Mound. Besides being a bad position in a military point of view, Gainesborough is exceedingly unhealthy and an uncomfortable camping place, with no ground for drilling the troops.

I have now the honor to inform you that, anticipating your orders on the subject, I am moving the division to Chestnut Mound. That is an elevated, healthy, and well-watered locality, where there is ground for drilling the regiments, of which they are very much in need. It is near to landings on the Cumberland River and Caney Fork, and connected with them by turnpike roads, and it connects with Livington by a good ridge road.

I leave for a few days the regiments of Colonels Murray and Stanton at this place with supplies for one month, and after a few days I shall order these regiments to Livingston, where, with supplies drawn from this point, they may be subsisted. I have ordered McNairy's cavalry battalion to proceed to-morrow to Livingston and to remain there. I had left Captain McHenry's cavalry company at Livingston to picket and guard the roads leading from Kentucky, and to-day received information from Captain McHenry that two companies of Federal cavalry were on the Kentucky side Obey River.

I will have the stores, except those to be left for the regiments of Murray and Stanton, removed from this point to the most convenient landing for the camp at Chestnut Mound by steamboat.

My headquarters will henceforth be at Chestnut Mound.

I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. B. CRITTENDEN,

Major-General, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, February 7, 1862.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN:

Fort Henry fell yesterday. Memphis and Clarksville Railroad bridge over Tennessee destroyed. Lost all the artillery and stores at Henry.