ROSECRANS', August 14, 1862.

Major-General GRANT, Corinth:

Colonel Sheridan with three regiments of cavalry went down last night with orders to take Ellistown and Baldwyn, burn the depot at the latter place, feel of the rebels, and get information generally. The work was to have been begun at daylight this morning.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
August 14, 1862.

Major-General GRANT, Corinth:

The following dispatch has been received by General Granger from-

RIENZI, [August] 14, 1862.

Colonel Sheridan has returned. Captured 4 secesh, also 300 head of mules, horses, and cattle on Twenty Mile Creek, in vicinity of Carrollsville. Twenty Mile Creek is dry. Our horses had no water from the time they left the camp till they returned. Had great trouble to get water for the men, and was obliged to come home during the heat of the day.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army.

HDQRS. FIFTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Memphis, August 14, 1862.

Major JOHN. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Corinth:

SIR: It has been physically impossible for me personally to give attention to the thousand of things which had to be done here since my arrival and at the same time keep you fully advised of their progress. All is well no and matters are progressing favorably, and for the sake of history, and that the major-general may have a clear insight of our situation, I send a variety of papers,some of which need a word of explanation.

1st. Orders, Numbers 61, abolishes passes on land travel (on the river same as heretofore), and regulates it, confined to five roads and on each road a small guard to inspect each traveler, the wagons, buggies or carriages. Such guards can better prevent illegal traffic or catch spies than any provost-marshal, who must of necessity delegate his power to make out and sign passes to a clerk.*

2d. Orders, Numbers 62, defines the posts of my brigades and defines the duty of their guard. In that order I threaten incompetent officers with a board of examination, which on inspection I find I cannot appoint. (Section 10, act of Congress, page 521, Army Regulations.) I ask the detail of such a board of five officers, composed of, say, General Hurlbut, General Lauman, General M. L. Smith, Colonel D. Stuart, and Colonel [Ralph P.] Buckland. If you have granted leaves of absence to any of these, I name Colonel [Joseph R.] Cockerill, Lieutenant Colonel [Charles C.] Walcutt, Major Fearing and Major Fisher as alternates.*

3d. Orders, Numbers 67, about negroes. I found about 600 negroes employed here, and daily others come into our works. I have knowledge that a law had passed Congress for using the labor of such negroes, approved by the President and sanctioned by General Halleck. No

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*See pp. 117, 118.

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