points of communication between Corinth, Miss., and that portion of Mississippi and Tennessee lying between Eastport, Miss., and Pittsburg, Tenn., and herewith present and imperfect skeleton map of the above-mentioned section of country, which map is made without a compass, square, or rule,* as I found it impossible to obtain either.

On Saturday morning, the 8th of March, assisted by Lieutenant Shelley, of Company B, Tenth Regiment Mississippi Volunteers, and Private Staub, Company C, Tenth Regiment Mississippi Volunteers, I left Corinth, Miss., and proceed eastward to the distance of 1 mile, where the road to Eastport turns to the right and passes over a broken country until it reaches the distance of 4 miles, when it makes an angle to the right, distance half a mile to Farmington, a country village. From Farmington the road turns to the left and traverses a broken country until the distance passed is 8 miles, when the road is very rough, and 3 1/2 miles distant from Memphis and Charleston Railroad, following the road until the distance of 12 miles is passed over. The village Burnsville lies three-quarters of a mile to the right and upon the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Beyond Burnsville to 24 miles the road is very hilly and rocky. For information as to the points of defense, see map.

At 25 miles distance is located a grist-mill, and in sight of the mill is a hill between 300 and 400 feet high and rocky. This point covers the defense of the road, and can be made a barrier to almost any advance.

At the distance of 27 miles the road from Corinth to Eastport intersects the road from Eastport to Iuka, and this is the strong point of defense against a force marching from Eastport to Iuka.

At Eastport the enemy can land a large force, and march by column of sections along the Eastport and Iuka road, the road being 25 feet wide and having a firm, rocky bottom. At the distance of half a mile below Eastport is Rocky Point, which stands 400 feet above the level of Tennessee River bank, and commands a perfect view of the river for 3 miles down and 2 1/2 miles up the river. This point, with an 8-inch gun, can defeat the enemy's gunboats, and requires very little work to build a battery, as there is a bomb-proof made by nature-a large rock projecting 15 feet over the position for the gun.

From Eastport to road runs at a distance from 1 1/2 to 3 miles from the river, and so rough and rocky is it, that the enemy will never think of passing from Hamburg to Eastport by this road.

At Hamburg there is no means of defense until at 1 1/2 miles distance, when Childer's Hill presents itself, some 300 feet high, and distant one-quarter of a mile from its base to its summit. At this hill a crescent is formed around the road and formed of the hill, where batteries of light artillery would have a raking fire at an enemy attempting to climb the hill.

Between the point Childer's Hill and the point at George's house, 6 miles, there is no place of importance, and from George's house to the cross-roads to Monterey there are two points, one at a distance of 8 miles from Hamburg and the other at the cross-roads from Hamburg and Corinth road to the village of Monterey, on the Corinth and Pittsburg road.

At Pittsburg there are two points where batteries could be used to advantage, could drive off or sink the enemy's gunboats. These points are on each side of the road, and 100 feet above the bank of the river.

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*Map not found.

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