NEAR FARMINGTON,

May 10, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

The enemy withdrew to Corinth last night. The field of yesterday is clear this morning. Would it not be well to-day or tomorrow, while we have this good weather, to move the whole army forward to the road leading from the Memphis and Charleston Railroad to Purdy? That road would form a good front line of communication between all the divisions. It is on a ridge, and for the first 8 miles from Farmington is said to be a good, hard road. All our forces would be in striking distance of Corinth and within supporting distance of each other. The roads in rear of columns could then be connected and repaired so that movements could be made with great facility. We must have possession of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad to prevent them from throwing heavy force in rear to cut off supply trains.

THOMAS A. SCOTT,

Assistant Secretary of War.

HUNTSVILLE, ALA.,

May 10, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I have no answer to my dispatch asking leave to send to a Northern prison a few distinguished rebels now prisoners. Guerrilla warfare has been inaugurated along my entire line, and we are attacked nightly at bridges and outposts. I have just been placed in command of the troops stationed north of me up to Nashville, inclusive, but it will require some days to obtain proper returns and sufficient information to enable me to act wisely and prudently. Your last dispatch is an answer to mine of the 3rd and 4th.

O. M. MITCHEL,

Major-General, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, May 11, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

I am compelled to repeat and call the attention of the Secretary of War to my former dispatches in regard to amount of military force which should have been left in and about this place, to be disposed of as circumstances might require. The very fact of the forces being withdrawn from this locality has inspired secession with insolence and confidence and Union men with distrust as to the power and intention of the Government to protect and defend them. They have not arms; secessionists have. If there had been a military force left at this place sufficient to meet and suppress any uprising of disunionists, combined with returning troops from Corinth and other points and that fact being well known and understood through the whole country, there would have been no further difficulty and trouble in Tennessee. The whole moral power has been lost, and, in fact, we are here now almost in a helpless condition. Had my request been complied with, there would have been no Morgan raids through Middle Tennessee and Kentucky-no battles at Lebanon. This evening we hear of the capture