POPE'S HEADQUARTERS,

June 13, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

General Asboth reports to me from Rienzi that the woods and swamps east of him are swarming with deserters from the enemy. They are making their way homeward. What is to be done with them? Had they not better be suffered to go? It would take reams of blanks to administer oaths to them. I have not hitherto meddled with them. Thousands have passed on their way home, and as many more are commanding every day. They endeavor to pass without coming into camp.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General.

CORINTH, June 14, 1862.

Major-General POPE:

I think it would be well to make as many of the enemy give their paroles as possible; still it would not be worth while to pursue those who have deserted and are on their way home. I would come to see you, but have fore several days been confined to my tent with the "Evacuation of Corinth."

H. W. HALLECK.

U. S. STEAMER SWITZERLAND,

Before Memphis, June 15 [1862].-Via Cairo, 18th.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have received your dispatch informing me of your appointment of Dr. Roberts as surgeon and Dr. Lawrence as assistant surgeon of my fleet, and requesting a detailed report concerning the rams for the last few days. After receiving my wound my mind was not capable of transacting business. Since then great nervous prostration, with pain and fever, have rendered me entirely incapable of mental labor. I now have measles superadded. I will prepare the report you ask for as soon as I am able to dictate it, which I hope will be in the course of two or three days.*

I did not send a detachment to White River to act in conjunction with the gunboats, as Commander Davis requested. Brown, the commander, was not willing to receive my co-operations unless i placed my vessels under the command of one of his officers. This, of course, I could not consent to do. Our success at Memphis was by acting independently.

Mr. Brooks has arrived with supplies for my fleet.

Respectfully,

CHAS. ELLET, JR.,

Commanding Ram Fleet.

HDQRS. FIFTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
La Grange, Tenn., June 15, 1862.

General LEW. WALLACE, Memphis, Tenn.:

SIR: I arrived here with my whole division yesterday, and General Hurlbut is at Grand Junction to-day.

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*See Series I, Vol. X, Part I, pp. 906-913, 925-927.

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