by first proximo. I do not intend the commissary department shall be behind in furnishing your supplies. The contractor is here. Am urging him to be up to time. Have seen General Allen. Have his promise that the contractor has cars from Chicago and here for his cattle. Colonel Beckwith and myself leave here for Nashville on first train. Have ordered Major Symonds to buy at once cattle and ship by boat or drive. Have ordered Major Du Barry to buy at once and ship by boat. Have ordered the 1,200 cattle which we had in reserve at Danville, Ky., to be driven at once to Nashville.

C. L. KILBURN,

Lieutenant-General.

LEXINGTON, April 18, 1864.

General SHERMAN:

I have about 3,000 men now mounted. General Schofield has called for 1,000 of them. Can I not get the Third Iowa, now in Saint Louis, to in part replace those taken by General Schofield? I am trying in every direction to get horses. The whole force I now have, 6,000 strong, will be armed and equipped by the 1st of May. Please have the Third Iowa Cavalry sent to me.

GEORGE STONEMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Nashville, Tenn., April 18, 1864.

General McPHERSON,

Huntsville:

I don't want the detachments now at Cairo to go up to Savannah till a few good regiments get there to serve as a nucleus. Colonel Potts reports his regiment will be at Cincinnati to-night, and I will order it to Cairo. My programme of this morning shows that the force up the Tennessee is only to scout as far out as the head of the Hatchie.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HUNTSVILLE, ALA.,

April 18, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Nashville:

I telegraphed General Dodge to know what troops he could send from Pulaski under General Sweeny to West Tennessee, to operate against Forrest and still guard his portion of the railroad.

He says, without drawing forces from Decatur, he can only send four regiments. In view of the threatening demonstrations against Decatur, I do not deem it safe to withdraw any troops from there, and four regiments will be too small a force to send against Forrest across the Tennessee, unless united with some force from Cairo.

JAS. B. McPHERSON,

Major-General, Commanding.