Give early attention to this matter, and if you can't go in person send some good officer who can give you a good topographical sketch. Gain all possible information as to the roads from Whitesburg and Gunter's across Sand Mountain to Rome and Gadsden.

You will need a good staff or general officer at Cairo till you have put all the furloughed regiments and absentees on the right roads. The commanding officer at Cairo should also have a correct list of the designed station of the regiments of the Departments of the Tennessee, that he may also answer all proper inquiries.

With great respect,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY,
Louisville, April 6, 1864.

Brigadier-General POTTER,

Chief of Staff, Knoxville:

Colonel Gallup telegraphs me from Louisa that the rebel general Hodge's brigade has come this side Pound Gap; that Breckinridge is at Tazewell, and Morgan still at Abindgon. I am going to-day to Paris, where I propose concentrating some cavalry, and if Hodge's brigade is really in the State I will hunt him up. Colonel Gallup is rarely mistaken.

S. B. BURBRIDGE,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CAIRO,
Cairo, Ill., April 6, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel T. H. HARRIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: General Veatch has miscarried. He went to Purdy, returned to the river, went up to Waterloo on the other side, sent back his transports, and marched for Pulaski. I notified General Sherman of this movement, and he instructs all to notify "Hurlbut that Veatch left Prudy without orders," and that it is "too late to correct him." General Hurlbut will by this see that the force he sent out is not supported on the other side.

Yours, &c.,

M. BRAYMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

CAIRO, ILL., April 6, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Nashville, Tenn.:

Your dispatch received.

The following report is from an officer sent up to communicate with General Veatch:

PADUCAH, April 5, 1864.

Lieutenant Commander J. W. SHIRK,

Mound City:

General Veatch went to Purdy on the 30th ultimo; sent scouts toward Bolivar, Jackson, and Lexington; not hearing anything of Forrest, he returned the following night and proceeded to Waterloo, whence he debarked, and marched the next day, 3rd instant, to Athens via Florence.