Vicksburg, November 8, 1864.

(Via Cairo 14th.)

Major-General SHERMAN:

Your dispatch of October 30 was received yesterday. Hatch's DIVISION of cavalry was at the Tennessee River at last account. Two infantry DIVISIONS, under General A. J. Smith, and a brigade of cavalry are in Missouri in pursuit of Price. They have been ordered to Memphis by nearest route, but this is contingent on where the orders may reach them and the time uncertain. The effective field force left on the river is very Light, and the posts from Cairo to Natchez are held by small garrisons, but I will to the extent of my force carry out your instructions. A demonstration of 3,000 cavalry from Baton Rouge is promised into lower Mississippi. Magruder is moving in force on Major-General Steele at Little Rock. The enemy is threatening to move across to the east side of the MISSISSIPPI at Gaines' Landing, where Major-General Reynolds is ready for them.

N. J. T. DANA,

Major-General.

(Same to General Thomas.)

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Vicksburg, Miss., November 8, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Military DIVISION of the Mississippi, Rome, Ga.:

GENERAL: Not knowing the address of your field staff, I direct this to yourself, and have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, yesterday at 10 a. m., of your dispatch dated Rome, Ga., October 30, 1864, which I have answered briefly by telegraph this day.

Under paragraph 52, Special orders, Numbers 171, current series, from the War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, dated Washington, May 7, 1864, viz, orders given by Major-General Canby, commanding the Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi, will be obeyed by all troops on the eastern bank of the MISSISSIPPI River. Almost the entire field force on the eastern bank of the river has been ordered temporarily, under instructions from Major-General Canby, into Arkansas and Missouri, and the posts on the river from Cairo to Natchez are now held by very light garrisons. The two infantry DIVISIONS (Right Wing, SIXTEENTH Corps), under command of Major General A. J. Smith, and one cavalry DIVISION, under Colonel Winslow, are now in Missouri, under General Rosecrans. I inclose a copy of Major-General Canby's order in regard to these troops, but fear they will not reach Memphis in season to serve the present emergency. One cavalry DIVISION, under Brigadier-General Hatch, was near Clifton, on the Tennessee River, when last heard from, under orders to join Major-General Howard in the field.

The tri-monthly return for October 31 of District of Vicksburg shows the following aggregate of troops present for duty:

Station. Infantry. Cavalry. Artillery Total.

.

Vicksburg. 3. 745 2. 480 1. 636 7. 861

Natchez. 1. 819 423 1. 173 3. 415

Goodrich's 417 . . . 105 522

Landing.

Miliken's Bend. 526 . . . 109 635

Davis' Bend. 516 . . . . . . 516

Total. . . . . . . . . . 12. 949