Harbor, if in your judgment the public safety requires it. Influential gentlemen like General Clemens can render far more service at home at present than they could by coming here. Re-enforcemets cannot be sent until after General Halleck has fought the great battle with Beauregard. Will the country you are in supply cavalry horses and forage? You can communicate with General Hallec by telegraph by the way of Nashville.

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

MONTEREY, TENN.,

May 8, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

It is not possible for me to re-enforce General Morgan at Lexington. Orders in regard to Home Guards should be sent to him direct from the War Department.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

Above dispatch received from Halleck need create no apprehension, as Morgan labors under chronic alarm. I don not deem it expedient to call out Kentucky Home Guards. General Hitchcock concurs in this opinion.

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
May 9, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

I transmit inclosed some maps* exhibiting pretty fairly the condition of things in and about Corinth and also on my right as far as Nelson's division.

I will send you as soon as it is possible the sketch showing the possition and character of the enemy's works and batteries on and near the roads leading from Farmington. You will see that the approaches from the east will be difficult, and that the difficulties probably increase as we proceed south across the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.

I would suppose that the best position for Buell's line would be the Purdy and Farmington road. How far beyond Buell this road would be useful in this respect I do not know. By establishing Buell from the forks of the road from Farmington to Nichols and from Farmington to Purdy his left would rest on Farmington, while my force would be established with the right resting on Farmington and the left on the railroad. We should thus be secure on the left flank, be near enough to operate without difficulty or delay, and occupy a line along which communications would be direct and easy. I submit it for your consideration.

My command is all in rear of Seven Mile Creek except one brigade,

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*Not found.

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