2 miles northeast of Saltillo, on the Ripley and Mooresville road. The four regiments of your immediate command will be so disposed as to form a good connection from Saltillo west to the intersection of the Ripley and Harrisburg road with the Tuscumbia and Pontotoc road.

A point this side of Birmingham, where a road forks to Saltillo, near Dr. Anderson's and Mr. Williams' farms, and about 5 miles from that place, is considered a good position, not easily turned by way of Saltillo. Much,however, is left to the intelligent discretion of the general.

Infantry brigades will be posed at the crossing of Old Town Creek, on which the cavalry can fall back when compelled.

Strong pickets must be kept in front and daily scouts be kept up between them. These forces must be supported as far as possible in the country.

Respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

D. H. POOLE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

KNOXVILLE, TENN., June 10, 1862.

Major-General E. KIRBY SMITH,

Chattanooga, Tenn.:

Colonel McLin, at Kingston, reports that scouts down the Tennessee Valley state from reliable sources that 5,000 Federals occupied Pikeville, in Sequatchie Valley, at 2 p.m. on the 7th instant-1,500 cavalry, the rest infantry. Glenn's men left this morning for Chattanooga; Dr. Smith and Walworth yesterday.

J. F. BELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. JONES' DIVISION, ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Camp near Tupelo, Miss., June 10, 1862.

Major M. M. KIMMEL,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the West:

SIR: I received on the 4th your note of the 3rd instant,* assigning, by Major-General Van Dorn's direction, his reasons for relieving me from the command of a division of the Army of the West. The movement of the army which was ordered the next day, and has since been carried out, prevented me from noticing it sooner.

I think Major-General Van Dorn must have misunderstood the object of my note, or he would have given me a more explicit and definite answer. He must know that the circumstances under which I was relieved from command are such as to demand investigation. On the march and in the presence ant hearing of officers and men of my command he addressed me in an angry and excited tone and manner and in terms implying that I had committed some grave offense or blunder, relieved me from the command of the division, and ordered me to report to General Beauregard.

I desire to bring the matter before a court of inquiry for investigation, and therefore requested Major-General Van Dorn to state explicitly