to join the army in the field in any capacity, for we need the actual service of every man in the military service. There should be no idlers now. When war is over we may have a century in which to scramble for personal fame. Current events are still too absorbing for any patriot to stop to discuss the past. Let us all go on to secure the object of the war-save the ship of state -before we undertake to explain how it was done or who did it. To us, with and angry, embittered enemy in front and all around us, it looks childish, foolish-yea, criminal-for sensible men to be away off to the rear, sitting in security, torturing their brains and writing on reams of foolscap to fill a gap which the future historian will dispose of by a very short, and may be, an unimportant chapter, or even paragraph.

I would like General Buell to know what I say. I am his friend, have been always, and always hope to be; and my advice is for him to stop writing, but to join some one of our armies-as a commander if possible, or as a subordinate otherwise. Like in a race, the end is all that is remembered by the great world.

Those who are out at the end will never be able to magnify the importance of intermediate actions, no matter how brilliant and important.

Assuring you of my personal respect, I am, truly, your friend,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., September 2, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN A. RAWLINS,

A. A. G., Dept. of the Tennessee, Vicksburg, Miss.:

SIR: General Steele is now at Devall's Bluff, with cavalry forward to Brownsville. He has not men enough. He should have forthwith 5,000 more men. I have so informed Generals Halleck and Schofield. I have not men to send, having already exhausted my corps. If the diversion from Monroe does not draw them off, Steele will have from 15,000 to 20,000 to meet at Bayou Metarie.

Your obedient servant,

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

SAULSBURY, September 2, 1863.

Colonel JOHN I. RINAKER:

SIR: I learn that Street crossed the road some 12 miles east of this, and is north of the road. Fifty men of the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry are scouting in that direction. I have 50 waiting south of the road. Can you watch a few miles this way?

ISAAC R. HAWKINS,

Colonel, Commanding.

HDQRS, FIRST BRIG., SIXTH DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,

September 2, 1863,

Captain HOUGH,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: Inclosed find report of scout sent out by me on yesterday while the general was at this point. I shall permit him to go in