The assignment of Slocum, Washburn, and Prince is made by orders of General Grant. I will indorse your instructions to all these, and add for Hurlbut to join his corps here, as will be one too many at Cairo.

You may order your two division to come up to Clifton with their wagons and mules, and from that point to act against Forrest according to the strength present and the information received. If Forrest has escaped, we can only reach him by an independent expedition up the Yazoo to Grenada, such as I contemplated; but before we make any orders we must wait till the Red River trip is out, and until we have one good division at Vicksburg and another at Memphis.

The cavalry now in front of Dodge is from Johnston's army, watching you. It might be well to keep them uneasy by occasional sallies in force from Decatur and Larkin's.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Nashville, Tenn., April 21, 1864.

General BRAYMAN,

Cairo:

Can you tell me anything certain of the fate of the Major Bradford who was at Fort Pillow at the time of its destruction by Forrest? Give me the name of the officer who is making the official inquiry into the history of that affair.

Facilitate all you can the movement of McPherson's troops and wagons up the Tennessee. I have notified Colonel Parsons of the movement. Time is getting precious and must be used.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

CAIRO, April 21, 1864.

Major-General SHERMAN,

Nashville, Tenn.:

On arriving here to-day I found your telegram inquiring if I could use General Schurz. I replied that I could not tell until I arrived at Memphis and ascertained what troops there were there. Since then I have seen one of General Hurlbut's aides, who is just up from Memphis, and he informs me that there are now there only about 2,000 white troops and four regiments of colored and about 1,100 cavalry. If this is the case I do not see how I can do anything for General Schurz. Whether the force at Memphis is sufficient to resist any probable attack you can judge. With the cavalry there certainly but little can be done toward intercepting raids of the enemy. I hear that there are 1,000 cavalrymen without horses at Memphis, and I shall endeavor to procure horses for them at the earliest moment.

The disaster upon Red River I suppose may delay the return of General Mower. A large amount of cavalry belonging to Memphis I hear is at home on furlough and will soon be back, but as they will be horseless it will take some time to mount them. I telegraphed you to-day inquiring if you had any orders or instructions, but have received no answer.