NORTH OF WOLF RIVER, NEAR RALEIGH,

April 5, 1864-11.30 a. m.

GENERAL: Your dispatch just received. The enemy made an attempt on our pickets last night on the Somerville road, and lost 1 man killed. I started a force toward Somerville before daylight this morning. They have just returned and report the enemy to have moved east in the night.

From a lady, who lives 12 miles this side of Purdy, and who came in last night, I learn that Forrest had sent his prisoners, trains, and plunder south via Pocahontas. With his main force disencumbered he moved south via Saulsbury, throwing out sufficient force to check any advance from this direction. She reports that it is his intention to attack Memphis, in which he expects to be joined by forces from below. If he fails in this, it is my opinion that he will move north again to Jackson, with a view of fulfilling his original intention of crossing the Tennessee. I sent Lieutenant-Colonel Hepburn this morning with his force via White's Station to the Pigeon Roost road, to scout to Olive Branch. I have destroyed the ferries at the crossings on the old and new Raleigh roads, and at the crossing of the Macon and Memphis road. I will move with Waring and Hurst via Mount Pleasant toward Hudsonville. The infantry will return to Memphis to-night. This lady reports that a portion of Forrest's command had a fight with a force between Purdy and the Tennessee River. She is the wife of a lieutenant in the Sixth Tennessee.

Respectfully,

B. H. GRIERSON,

Brigadier-General.

Major General S. A. HURLBUT,

Memphis.

Numbers 21. Report of Colonel George E. Waring, jr., Fourth Missouri Cavalry, commanding First Brigade, of skirmish near Raleigh, April 3.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION,
Raleigh, Tenn., April 3, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to the orders of Brigadier-General Grierson, my command marched from this place at 8 a. m. to-day, on the road to Oakland and Somerville.

My advance guard, Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, learned from citizens and negroes that the enemy was stationed in heavy force in the swamps between Leake's and Oakland, also that from 3,000 or 5,000 rebels under Neely and McCulloch were encamped from 3 to 6 miles east of Oakland on the Somerville road. They were said to have orders to check every attempt of ours to advance toward Bolivar. At Leake's the advance came upon the picket of the enemy, and almost immediately a skirmish ensued. As nearly as I can judge there were from 500 to 700 of the enemy actually engaged. The Seventh Indiana Cavalry at once re-enforced the advance guard, making with the Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry almost 350 men. The enemy very soon retired in such a manner as to seem to invite us to follow into the swamp, which lay immediately