CORINTH, July 15, 1862.

To the PRESIDENT:

General Grant has just arrived from Memphis. I am in communication with General Buell and Governor Johnson in Tennessee. Hope to finally arrange distribution of troops and to re-enforce Curtis by to-morrow and to leave Thursday morning, the 17th.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Memphis, July 15, 1862.

Major General U. S. GRANT:

Inclosed I send you General Thompson's letter and my reply. As the envelope indicated that the matter was local I took the liberty of opening it and sending a reply.

Trusting that my action will meet your approbation, I have the honor to be, your most obedient servant,

ALVIN P. HOVEY,

Brigadier-General.

[Inclosures.]

SENATOBIA, MISS.,

Monday, July 14, 1862-1 o'clock p.m.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

U. S. A., Memphis, Tenn.:

GENERAL: Upon my return from Grenada this day I find a copy of your Special Orders, Number 14, of July 10, ordering the families of certain parties therein named to leave your lines within five days. If, general, you intend to carry this order into effect, which we of course presume you will, the cause of humanity will require that you make some arrangement with us by which the helpless women and children who will thus be turned out of doors can be provided for; for you must well know by this time that nine-tenths of the people of Memphis come under your law, for there is scarcely a respectable family in that city who have not a father, husband, or brother in our army, or are the widows and orphans of those who have fallen bravely fighting for our cause.

The present terminus of the Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad is at Coldwater Station, which is 34 miles from Memphis, and our regular lines are on the stream of the same name, near the station. We do not know where your regular lines are, and therefore ask that you will please define some point in a southerly direction from Memphis to which the fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, or friends of the exiles can go in safety to me them, or that you will extend the time for leaving, as it is not possible that the number covered by your order can get transportation to Coldwater within the time granted, and I would not for an instant suppose that you propose that the little feet that will thus be driven from their homes and birth-spots should plod the weary distance of 30 miles.

At the same time, general, that I make this appeal to you I feel it my duty to remark that you must not for a moment suppose that the thousands who will be utterly unable to leave and the many who will thus be forced to take the hateful oath of allegiance to a despised government are to be thus converted into loyal citizens of the United States or weaned from their affections for our glorious young confederacy; and whole to "threaten" were unsoldierly, yet to "warn" is kindness, and