they say attack Decatur. The entire force when united, I should think, would amount to 5,000. Do you receive any information from Whitesburg?

G. M. DODGE,

Brigadier-General.

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

Brigadier General A. J. SMITH,

Commanding Expeditionary Forces, Sixteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: It is of prime importance that you should return as soon as practicable. Sherman's order sent you is impractical. You will live as nearly up to it as circumstances will permit. I do not believe that 10,000 infantry can march across the country he indicates, be notified in advance, so as to support your movement. Keep me advised, so that I can do so.

Accept my congratulations for your success.

Yours, truly,

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

HDQRS. CHIEF OF CAV., MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Nashville, Tenn., April 7, 1864.

Brigadier General J. W. DAVIDSON,

Cavalry Bureau, Saint Louis, Mo.:

SIR: There are now nearly 15,000 cavalry troops at this point awaiting arms, equipments, and horses. The ordnance depot is drained of everything in the nature of supplies for cavalry, and I cannot learn that nay considerable shipments are on the way. Extraordinary efforts will have to be made to arm, mount, and equip the cavalry of this military division or it cannot be made available to any useful extent in the coming campaign. The regions of country which we traverse are now so exhausted of horses and mules that very little can be done in the way of raising crops this season, and all our forage will have to be brought from the North. This will render our cavalry movement much more difficult in future, and it would be very unwise and impolitic to take away the few animals that remain. Recent observations have convinced me that I was in error in recommending some time ago that more horses should be obtain din our fields of operation.

What number of horses are now in the possession of those purchasing for the Government at the West, and how soon can they be got to the front?

Yours, truly,

WM. SOOY SMITH,

Brigadier General, Chief of Cavalry, Mil. Div. of the Mississippi.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Chattanooga, Tenn., April 7, 1864.

His Excellency Governor JOHN BROUGH,

Columbus, Ohio:

SIR: Your dispatch of to-day has just been received. We are receiving here about 30 deserters from the enemy daily. I do not