can hear of no large parties or any infantry. If infantry advance from Tallahatchie they will most likely move toward Germantown. Weather is intensely hot and dust very bad. We have abundance of water here in Wolf River.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. FIFTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Moscow, Tenn., July 8, 1862.

Colonel JOHN A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General to General Grant, Memphis:

SIR: My last report of the operations of this and General Hurlbut's (Fourth) divisions was made to Colonel J. C. Kelton direct, it being of date June 23, about the time of the change of command from General Thomas to General Grant. My future reports will of course be addressed to your headquarters.

My original orders from General Halleck direct were to move with mine and Hurlbut's divisions from Chewalla to Grand Junction, and thence repair the Charleston and Memphis road west to Memphis. The first repairs were made on some burned trestles in La Grange; next on two large bridges here at Moscow, and lastly two small ones at and near La Fayette. All these bridges were finished and the road ready for cars on June 25, but the accident to the train out of Memphis has prevented its use. For some reason all trains from Corinth and Columbus stop at La Grange, and, as you know, I have been compelled to haul my stores at great labor and risk from Memphis, but General Halleck now informs me that supplies can be had from Columbus, Ky.; I shall not, consequently, send any more teams into Memphis, unless in case of accident to the northern road. I have little confidence in railroads running through a country where every house is a nest of secret, bitter enemies.

On the 29th of June I received a dispatch from General Halleck saying that Hamilton's division of Rosecrans' army corps had passed the Hatchie the day before, and would be at Holly Springs on Tuesday a.m.; ordering me to co-operate as far as advisable, but not to neglect the protection of the railroad. I accordingly ordered General Hurlbut to leave at Grand Junction and La Grange each a regiment of infantry and section of artillery, with all the sick and feeble of his command, and with his effective force to march on Holly Springs, so timing his march at to be at Coldwater at 8 a.m. Tuesday. I made similar dispositions, leaving a regiment and a section of artillery at La Fayette and Moscow, with all the sick and feeble, and with the remainder, about 4,000 men, marched for Holly Springs.

I met Hurlbut's division at Hudsonville, and we moved forward to Coldwater, the first and only point where water can had between the Wold River and Holly Springs.

Our cavalry found the enemy's pickets at Hudsonville, drove them across Coldwater, and back toward Holly Springs. About 2 1/2 miles out of Holly Springs the advance guard was drawn into an ambush, was fired on, lost 1 man killed and 3 wounded, all of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry. This cavalry, about 150 men, under command of Major Gibson, was dismounted and drove the enemy out of the woods, killing 1 and wounding others. The enemy's cavalry, three battalions, in all about 1,200 men, under Colonels Jackson and Pinson, formed in front of Holly Springs.

General Denver, commanding the advance brigade, moved forward