As I came out on Sunday with my little battalion of regulars I happened at Collierville, 24 miles out from Memphis, just as General Chalmers with about 2,500 rebel cavalry demanded its surrender. The place was held by Colonel Anthony and six companies of the Sixty-sixth Indiana. I got my men off the cars in time, and we beat off General Chalmers. This illustrates the danger to the road, and I only refer to it to show that I must look to a less precarious channel of supply. The Tennessee River is now low, but it is raining at this moment and the season is far enough advanced for us to count on the Tennessee. I will be personally and officially obliged if you will allow one of your light-draught boats to watch that river and ascend it at the earliest possible moment to Eastport to communicate with men. The moment the stage of waters permit, I would prefer to draw my supplies that way, and I can have the means to haul out from there.

I have no doubt the rebels have every man that is in the Southern Confederacy now armed against us, and the most desperate struggle of the war must be expected. A large proportion of their men are forced; still we know the vindictive feelings that animate their whole people and should not be blinded by any false theories. You have almost finished your job, and can and will, doubtless, with infinite pleasure help us who must live whilst we penetrate the very bowels of their land.

* * * * * *

With great respect,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

CORINTH, October 14, 1863.

Colonel SPOONER,

La Grange:

Our railroad has not the capacity to carry more than the food and forage of the army; horses must come by land. There cannot be 600 sick in your brigade. The real sick can come in the cars, but the dodgers must march, if not more than 10 miles per day, for the cars are overtaxed. Horses must come on their own legs.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Corinth, October 14, 1863.

Major-General WRIGHT,

Assistant adjutant-General, Louisville, Ky.:

SIR: Yours of September 18 overtook me here. I have no time to re-examine my letter of the 2nd of September, which was written with a desire to serve General Buell. I do say that any one who makes any publication whatever during the existence of the war will do General Buell greater wrong than his worst enemy could desire. No matter what the motive and purpose of a writer may be, the world makes its own construction of motive. No one can misconstrue your kind intent, but, having been a member of General Buell's staff, your publication of a history will be constructed as his act, for all know that you could not do such a thing without