DEMOPOLIS, March 18, 1864.

General COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond:

General Lee telegraphs as follows from Canton:

Sherman and Hurlbut are in Memphis. Hurlbut has taken command in Memphis. Six regiments of cavalry camped at memphis fixing for a tramp. The expedition by red River said to consist of eight gun-boats and twenty-two transports. Part of Hurlbut's corps has returned to Memphis.

L. POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

(Sent also to General Johnston and Dalton and General Maury at Mobile.)

HEADQUARTERS,
Tupelo, March 18, 1864.

Lieutenant-General POLK,

Demopolis:

Dispatches received; orders to Colonel Jackson revoked. Will leave this morning for West Tennessee. All important reports from North Alabama and elsewhere will be sent you through General Gholson at this place. Scouts at Austin report five large transports passed up the river with 3,500 troops from 7th to 11th instant. Sherman and staff at Memphis on the 11th. Memphis scout reports expedition fitting out for Red River. Cavalry at Memphis reported as ordered to East Tennessee. Governor Clark has consented to transfer the State cavalry to Confederate service, to be formed into a Mississippi brigade and be kept, if not required elsewhere. I recommend that enough of the unattached companies of this portion of the State be ordered to General Gholson to fill up his three regiments.

N. B. FORREST,

Major-General.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE,

Macon, Miss., March 18, 1864.

Lieutenant General L. POLLK,

Commanding, &c., Demopolis, Ala.:

GENERAL: I inclose you copies of letters from Major-Generals Forrest and Gholson in relation to transfer of State forces (cavalry) to Confederate States. General Gholson states the command at 1,968; effective aggregate, 1,172.

I have no doubt that from the men absent 200 or 300 can be obtained, so as to raise the effective force to 1,300 or 1,400. If you have authority to accept them, and will do so, I will propose to the Legislature, which meets here next week, to authorize the transfer, and will also ask that the horses (some 300), the property of the State, be donated to the regiment, to mount men not able to mount themselves. I think they should be turned over without waiting to recruit, as under the late act of Congress they cannot recruit as State troops. They may, by your order, afterward be recruited to the desires number, as all subject to duty under late act will desire to join old organizations.