Ky. I have kept all my cavalry force on the road from here to Germantown most of the time since my arrival in Memphis. The balance the southeast of the line from here.

I heed as little of the floating rumors about the city as any one. I only gave you the statement of a man from Okolona, who has fled from there with no intention of returning until he can go under the Federal flag. I do not credit his report as to east numbers, but believe the Tallahatchie Bridge is being repaired, and that a considerable force is at Abbeville. I know, not from rumor, that M. Jeff. Thompson and Jackson are both to the southeast of us. I have added for the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, now at Corinth, that I might do effectually what you now ak why I have not done.

Stampeding is not my weakness. On the contrary, I will always execute any order to the best of my ability with the means at hand. Immediately on taking command here I ordered troops from my command at Jackson and Bolivar, where they could be spared, that I might have the force to guard effectually the road from here to where guarded by General Sherman. Your orders have countermanded mine. It will be very difficult, however, to prevent the occasional taking up of a rail or cutting of a wire, as troops of my command passed the scene of the late catastrophe before it occurred and after, on the same day. I do not see that there has been move culpable neglect than was shown by Beauregard in permitting the road from Corinth to Bethel to be cut by my forces on the road south of him, by Colonel Elliott. As all the dispositions of the forces of the Army of the Tennessee have been made without my orders, and in most cases is expressly placed under the control of General McPherson, who had his agent here, and as I have never been directed to place any troops on the road, certainly no blame can attach to me.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
June 29, 1862.

Colonel J. C. KELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Corinth, Miss.:

The following from General Hamilton, beyond Hatchie, 2 p. m.:

Statement of J. E. Yowell.

J. E. Yowell lives in Lincoln Country, Tennessee. Went on business to see his brother, a captain in the One hundred and fifty-fourth Regiment Tennessee Militia, who was wounded at Shiloh. Has been at Holly Springs about ten weeks. Left there at 9 o'clock yesterday morning, 27th; just reached here. There are no troops in Holly Springs now. There are two detachments of cavalry out west from Holly Springs-Jackson's regiment and Pinson's six companies-but no infantry or artillery. Heard some six or eight days since that Breckinridge was coming to Holly Springs, but learned Thursday that he had gone to Vicksburg. No trains running from the south to Holly Springs. Bridge burned over the Tallahatchie by the Federals and destroyed entirely by the rebels. General Smith was in Holly Springs last Tuesday morning (one week) with seven or eight regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, and paroled the sick an wounded. Heard that Price had gone to Vicksburg and Beauregard to Richmond. Is a physician and is on his way home. Voted for secession, but it was peaceable secession, not war. The people at Holly Springs were much vexed when they learned that Breckinridge was not coming there.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Commanding.