the invaders of our soil, beaten and fleeing as chaff before the wind; nor would I forget Providence, to whom all the praise is due.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN S. GRIFFITH,

Lieutenant Colonel [Sixth Texas Cav.], Commanding First Texas Cav. Brigadier, Maury's Division, Army of West Tennessee.

Major General EARL VAN DORN.

P. S.-General Van Dorn will pardon me for sending a report with so many interlineation, &c. It is all the paper I have, and cannot therefore copy it.

DECEMBER 9-14, 1862.-Reconnaissance from Corinth, Miss., toward Tuscumbia, Ala., including skirmishes (12th) at Cherokee Station and Little Bear Creek.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1.-Brigadier General Greenville M. Dodge, U. S. Army, commanding District of Corinth.

Numbers 2.-Colonel Thomas W. Sweeny, Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, commanding Expedition.

Numbers 3.-Colonel C. R. Barteau, Second Tennessee Cavalry, of skirmishes December 12.

Numbers 1.

Reports of Brigadier General Greenville M. Dodge, U. S. Army, commanding District of Corinth.

CORINTH, December 13, 1862.

I have just received a dispatch from Colonel Sweeny, in command of the forces sent out. He struck the outpost of the enemy at Cherokee, 300 strong, under Colonel Warren, pursued them 5 miles, fighting all the way, when they met Colonel Roddey with 1,400, who, after a sharp engagement, fell back to Little Rear Creek, 4 miles this side of Tuscumbia, from which they were driven, after burning their stores, camp equipage, and bridges. Roddey had been four cannon and some infantry from Bragg's army. We captured 32 prisoners, a number of horses, arms, &c. The reconnaissance was a success. The artillery and infantry had just arrived there from Decatur, and strengthened the reports of his crossing a force at that point. On the arrival of Colonel Sweeny I shall know about how strong. A report comes to-night that 16,000 infantry have gone to Pemberton by way of Meridian. It went down the Chattanooga and Meridian road. This is given by refugees from Alabama, who arrived here to-day from Walker County. It does not agree with what I have heretofore heard, except that was one of the roads on which forage and provisions were being collected.

G. M. DODGE.

Major-General GRANT.

CORINTH, MISS., December 14, 1862.

The Tuscumbia force has arrived. It seems that the artillery came to Roddey about a week ago, and he had started the morning we attacked him to attack our forces at Glendale. He had four days' rations cooked. He fell back toward Decatur and across the river to Florence.