[Inclosure Numbers 2.] PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE, Murfreesborough, Tenn., May 27, 1864.

Captain E. A. OTIS, Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that a rebel prisoner has just been brought in named Hillier L. Rousseau, a private of Colonel Mead's regiment of Partisan Rangers, attached to General Roddey's command, who was captured on yesterday about twelve miles northeast of this place. He says that Captain Hays, with thirty- five men, of whom he was one, left their regiment last week in Franklin County, for the purpose of coming to this country to ascertain the strength of the Union force at this post; that the company was to start back on yesterday; that fifteen or twenty recruits from Coffee County were expected to return with the company. He says that the regiment has been in Tennessee several weeks, and numbers nearly 500 well-mounted men, many of whom have enlisted since the regiment entered the State. The regiment is to remain in Franklin and Jackson Counties until this and other scouting expeditions return. He says that Colonel Mead makes his headquarters at Jackson, at which point his command is ordered to reunite in the event of their being scattered by any means.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. R. HILL,

Captain and Provost-Marshal.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
Vicksburg, Miss., May 27, 1864.

Major General C. C. WASHBURN,

Commanding District of WEST Tennessee, Memphis, Tenn.:

Your dispatch of the 20th has just been received. I have ordered the detachments of the Seventeenth Corps now here to report to you at once. In addition to the militia (fifteen regiments), from 4,000 to 6,000 troops are expected from Missouri, and are ordered to report at Memphis. You can detain them for the present. The importance of keeping Sherman's communications open is of paramount necessity. I will defer any operations here expect such as are necessary to secure Steele's line in order to accomplish it. When Steele's communications are secured I will send you additional troops if they are needed. Organize as large a force as you can and employ the militia as far as possible for garrison purposes. Your dispatch seems to have been delayed on the way down.

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

[MAY 27, 1864. --For General Orders, Numbers 6, headquarters Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi, in reference to protection of navigation on MISSISSIPPI River, see Vol. XXXIV, Part IV, p. 60.]

HEADQUARTERS OF DISTRICT,

Columbus, Ky., May 27, 1864. (Received 30th.)

Major-General WASHBURN:

GENERAL: Colonel Hicks has just left here, having passed twenty- four hours with me. I did not say anything to him on the subject I