force with me as possible. Instead of sending the Fourth Regulars back as I intended yesterday, I will take them with me and send your ammunition to Clifton, to be guarded by Major Murphy's command until you can send for it. The Fourth Regulars will draw such ammunition as they require from your supply that is here. I have recommended to General Thomas that you go into winter quarters in the neighborhood of Columbia to prepare for the spring campaign. There is an abundance of forage in that region, and in the possession of those who were the most prominent leaders among the rebels of this State. You would also be so near Nashville that you can readily procure horses, equipments, and ordnance stores of every kind. You can also collect a great deal of the finest kind of stock, which will cost the Government nothing. I will return in two or three weeks and aid all I can in procuring supplies of every kind for you and in getting your division together once more. I will make an arrangement with the gun-boats here before leaving to ferry your two regiments back across the Tennessee as soon as they can be spared from the other side. It will take about fifteen wagons to haul your ammunition to Clifton. Labor omnia vincit.

Yours truly,

WM. SOOY SMITH,

Brigadier-General, Chief of Cavalry.

HDQRS. SIXTH DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Columbus, Ky., January 8, 1864. (Received 10th.)

Major General S. A. HURLBUT,

Memphis, Tenn.:

I arrived last night with a portion of my cavalry force at Union City. The infantry will arrive to-day. I reached Jackson with the cavalry, and remained there three days, leaving the infantry and artillery at Huntingdon, to find that Forrest had left; crossed the Hatchie and the railroad by the 28th. The country in the vicinity of Jackson was thoroughly searched, and I returned to Huntingdon on the 3rd.

On the 4th I received your telegram of the 26th [ultimo], but as the object of my search was then in Mississippi I did not return, as I had had no previous intimation from you other than to rid, if possible, West Tennessee of Forrest, Faulkner, Bell, and others. I left one regiment of cavalry and one of infantry at Paris, with Hawkins at Huntingdon. The remainder of the troops are at Union City. I go immediately to work preparing all for the field, and request further instructions. I will send my report on the first steamer. My horses are in a very bad condition; quite all barefooted. Found the road in a very bad condition. Please pardon this hasty note.

Very respectfully,

A. J. SMITH,

Brigadier-General.

CORINTH, [January 8,] 1864-1.15 p.m.

(Received Memphis, January 8.)

Major-General HURLBUT:

My scout, just from Loring's headquarters, returned this morning. Loring's headquarters are at Canton. He has his division of infan-