IUKA MISS., September 14, 1862.

General THOMAS JORDAN, Chattanooga, Tenn.:

Inform General Bragg and the War Department that, having ascertained that Rosecrans was here with about 10,000 men, I left Guntown last Thursday to attack him. He, however, retreated westward Friday night leaving a rear guard of about 1,500 men, who evacuated the place last night, abandoning several hundred thousand dollars' worth of army stores. My cavalry entered the town at daybreak.

STERLING PRICE,

Major-General.

HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS., September 15, 1862.

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War:

I now propose to send Breckinridge with force equal to that assigned to Bragg of exhausted prisoners, to join Price, who moves to join Bragg, and retain Bragg's assignment of prisoners here. Will you allow this? I think Breckinridge should go into Kentucky, and this in the only way he can spared.

EARL VAN DORN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. ARMY OF THE DISTRICT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Holly Springs, Miss., September 16, 1862 .

Major General STERLING PRICE,

Commanding Army of the West in the Field:

GENERAL: I sent you a telegram in reply to yours of the 14th instant from Iuka, in which you stated that you were ready to co-operate with me in an attack on Corinth. I am ignorant of your exact position, but presume that you troops are near Iuka. I propose that you march to Rienzi and from thence toward Pocahontas, so that we may join our forces and attack without loss of time. There is now at Bolivar a force of about 12,000 or 15,000 men, evidently preparing to move. It may be impossible to form a junction at Pocahontas or that vicinity before these Bolivar troops join Rosecrans. At all events, the move I propose seems to me to be the best. It may be that Rosecrans will move and join the Bolivar troops at Jackson and make a stand there. If they form a junction at Corinth we must attack from the west and southwest, and the position I have proposed is right; if they move toward Jackson it is still right; and if they leave a force at Corinth it is still right. When you get to the line of wires telegraph me and I will reply by couriers across the country. Send a courier to telegraph when you will reach Rienzi, and when you may be expected to reach the vicinity of Pocahontas. I have but about 35 miles to march, and can reach you with 10,000 men in three days. I will be ready to march by the time that I should do so. My wagons are coming up. Rosecrans is a quick, skillful fellow, and we must be rapid also. You can't reach Rienzi too soon. If he were to move this way rapidly and order down the Bolivar forces on me I would be in a bad way just at this time. I have been acting under the impassion that he had crossed the Tennessee and had evacuated Corinth. You see my position-close to Grand Junction, with only 9,000 or 10,000 men; my depot at this place; my wagons not up. I have ordered out scouts to Ripley and in the direction of Corinth, and shall watch closely.