HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Memphis, Tenn., May 31, 1864.

Major-General CANBY,

Commanding DIVISION of WEST Mississippi:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of the 26th [27th] is received. No militia have arrived within this district, and none heard of. The troops you speak of as coming from Missouri are not there to come. General Kilby Smith arrived yesterday with 1,900 men. They will draw clothing to-day, and to-morrow I shall start in pursuit of Forrest. My force will be entirely inadequate unless part of General A. J. Smith's or Mower's arrive. I have late and reliable information from Forrest. On the 23rd he left Tupelo, with 4,500 men and five days' rations, for Decatur, Ala., leaving about 3,000 militia and conscripts at Tupelo, and 3,000 cavalry at Corinth, under Bell, Neely, and Newsom. My scout left Corinth on the morning of the 29th, and this force was there then, with a number of pieces of artillery. I shall move to-morrow morning for Corinth, and cleaning out that force shall move to Tupelo, and from there shall send the cavalry down along the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to thoroughly destroy it as far down as possible. I need 3,000 more men at least. I shall strip myself here to make this move, and then my force will be less than Forrest's by 3,000, if he is concentrated, but I cannot delay. His attention must be engaged at once.

I am, general, your obedient servant,

C. C. WASHBURN,

Major-General.

P. S. --Extensive re-enforcements have gone to Steele, and he is no doubt all right.

[MAY 31, 1864. --For Washburn to Sturgis, conveying instructions relative to expedition into Mississippi, and Special Orders, Numbers 38, paragraph XIX, headquarters District of WEST Tennessee, directing march of the expedition, see Part I, pp. 217, 219.]

MEMPHIS, TENN., May 31, 1864.

Colonel GEORGE E. WARING, Jr.,

Commanding First Brigade, White's Station:

You will hold your entire mounted force, with three days' rations, 150 rounds of ammunition per man, and four ambulances, in readiness to move at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning, June 1. Do not take your artillery unless it and teams are in good condition. Further instructions will come out on the train this evening. Telegraph me the amount of your force.

B. H. GRIERSON,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., May 31, 1864.

Colonel GEORGE E. WARING, Jr., White's Station, Tenn.:

Your command must move out for La Fayette to-morrow morning at 6 o'clock precisely. No excuse will be received. You must turn out at least 1,600 mounted men.

B. H. GRIERSON,

Brigadier-General.