I venture to address you direct. Having heard that the enemy was passing troops from Chattanooga across the Tennessee for the purpose of occupying Jasper, Winchester, and the mountains bordering on the river and railroad, I sent an expedition under General Negley to arrest the movement of the enemy and drive them back, and this has been handsomely done, and General Negley on the 7th held a position opposite Chattanooga, as well as Jasper and all the ferries, thus effectually shutting that door of entrance; but on yesterday I learned that a heavy force was threatening Murfreesborough and the adjacent posts. I am thus compelled to withdraw General Negley and send him to re-enforce Colonel Lester.

Since the fall of Corinth the enemy, being relieved from the necessity of concentrating all his strength at that point, will be at liberty to advance through Cumberland Gap into Kentucky from Knoxville, across the mountains, into Nashville, and from Chattanooga into Northern Alabama.

Pardon me if I have exceeded the limits of my duty. It is for me to report that my force is totally insufficient to do anything more than to guard the extensive region over which they are spread from hostile citizens and small bands of the enemy. I wait your orders with anxiety.

O. M. MITCHEL,

Major-General.

CORINTH, MISS., June 9, 1862.

Major-General O. M. MITCHEL, Huntsville:

I have telegraphed to Secretary of War for permission for you to retain your present organization for the present.

General Buell will immediately move one division across Bear Creek in the direction of Tuscumbia and another will soon follow.

It is very doubtful whether we can get cars and locomotives up the Tennessee to Florence, and may be obliged to send them to Memphis.

It is therefore of the greatest importance that some be crossed over at Decatur with all possible dispatch. We have two regiments in Memphis and more are following. The railroad has been opened to Jackson, and we hope soon to reach Grand Junction. The enemy has been pursued 50 miles south toward Mobile, and is now probably in Okolona.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

BEAR CREEK, June 9, 1862.

Col. J. B. FRY:

The order to send a brigade to Tuscumbia has rendered a change necessary in the plans I had previously made for protecting the work on the road. I have sent a regiment to Buzzard's Roost Creek Bridge to encamp and furnish the requisite fatigue parties. A regiment will be sufficient for this purpose, and will be in supporting distance of the main force. I know not how imminent may be the danger General Mitchel is in, nor do I know the cause of great value of time in opening communication with him, but presume that he may be threatened with an attack by a superior force. I think it proper to state that I do not think support can be sent to him in time, if his danger is imminent,