Oxford. The infantry force still remains at Mount Hope, and a great many deserters come in from it. We get from 20 to 40 daily from the mountains, mostly from Johnston's army. The rebels are doing all they can to catch them, and picket vigilantly every road leading into the mountains, and in fact in every direction from Decatur. Their pickets are 6 to 8 miles away.

The additional force that has gone up to Forrest, I think, is the remnants of regiments left by him and the regiments stationed along the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers.

We make no headway in getting rations. Lieutenant-Colonel Donaldson, chief quartermaster at Nashville, says he will do what he can, but as it now stands he has all he can do to feed those at the front, let alone accumulating a supply.

I have sent force sup to Triana on this side, and up to Guntersville on the south side; also down the river to clean out the islands, which ar full of rebels, negroes, and secesh stock.

Wood-choppers are at work at mooresville. I pressed 50 negroes near there, and put a good man over them. They will soon get out a good supply of wood. Loring and French were at Demopolis on April 1; Lee and Adams were west of Jackson at the same date; all lying still. Forrest is in and about Jackson. Scouts from that direction say he does not show any signs of moving. They left there four days ago.

General Veatch will be in Prospect to-day.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. M. DODGE,

Brigadier-General.

ATHENS, April 7, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel PARROTT,

Prospect:

Has General Veatch, with his command, arrived at Prospect?

J. W. BARNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

PADUCAH, April 7, 1864.

Captain ODLIN:

General Forrest is at Jackson. General Buford at Trenton, with 3,000 cavalry troops at Dukedom. Faulkner was with Buford on Monday. I presume you know they have Hickman.

S. G. HICKS,

Colonel, Commanding Post.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., April 7, 1864.

Brigadier General B. H. GRIERSON,

Commanding Cavalry Division, Sixteenth Corps:

GENERAL: Under orders from Major General W. T. Sherman, you will proceed with your entire available cavalry force skirting the Coldwater and thence by La Grange to Bolivar.