way through until communication can be had with General Grant;" to which General Wallace replied," That is my purpose."Colonel McPherson and Captain Rowley again rode forward. General Wallace still gave orders to move, but manifested the utmost coolness and indifference. I asked him if it would not be well to send forward a brigade to hold the bridge, lest the enemy should destroy it, and thus prevent his joining you? He replied that it was a "capital idea," and accordingly ordered Colonel Morgan L. Smith, with his brigade, to move forward until the rear of his column rested on the farther side of Snake Creek Bridge and there halt until he received further orders from you or himself.

Colonel Smith moved forward as ordered, and General Wallace, dismounting from his horse, seated himself on a log. I then rode forward until I came up with Colonel McPherson, to whom I communicated the order given by General Wallace to Colonel Smith, and submitted to him the propriety of giving the order, as from you to Colonel Smith, to push forward with his brigade. But he hesitated to take such a step. It was now near night; the firing ceased; the sun sank to rest, and darkness had spear her mantle over friend and foe, when a cavalry-man brought the report that there was no enemy between General Wallace and the river; upon the hearing of which orders were given to move forward. Without opposition he reached the field of battle and received orders from you in person after night and about a mile from the steamboat landing at Pittsburg Landing.

The excuse that his guides misled him should avail nothing in extenuation of his want of knowledge of the road, for he had taken up his position at Crump's Landing on the 13th of March immediately preceding in the face of an enemy, and should have been perfectly familiar with all the roads leading to and from his camp.

Colonel McPherson and I came up to him about 3.30 o'clock p. m. He was then not to exceed 4 or 4 1/2 miles from the scene of action; the roads were in fine condition; he was marching light; his men were in buoyant spirits, within hearing of the musketry, and eager to get forward. He did not make a mile and a half an hour, although urged and appealed to to push forward. Had he moved with the rapidity his command were able and anxious to have moved after we overtook him, he would have reached you in time to have engaged the enemy before the close of Sunday's fight.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers A. RAWLINS,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Assistant Adjutant-General.

CRAWFORDSVILLE, IND., July 18, 1863.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: Some months ago I discovered that Major General U. S. Grant, in forwarding to your Department my official report of the battle of Pittsburg Landing, accompanied it with the following indorsement:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Pittsburg Landing, April 25, 1862.

I directed this division at 8 o'clock a. m. to be held in readiness to move at a moment's warning in any direction it might be ordered. Certainly not later than 11 o'clock a. m. the order General Wallace to march by a flank movement to Pittsburg Landing. Waiting until I thought he should be here, I sent one of my staff