Sherman considerably, and will be around on my line soon, if they do not start back for Rome.

Colonel Spencer, with his Alabama cavalry, has started four days since for Selma, to destroy the road. Grant is at Louisville. No other news of consequence.

Yours,

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Iuka, October 23, 1863.

Major-General HURLBUT,

Command-General HURLBUT,

Commanding, Memphis:

DEAR GENERAL: I have this moment received the notice* by telegraph that General Grant is to command the Armies of the Ohio the Cumberland, and the Tennessee, and that I am to command the latter.

I have striven hard to avoid large and independent commands, but am so impressed with the wisdom and importance of this change that I will undertake anything. I think my position here at the shoulder of the Tennessee is a great point for offense or defense, and I must make it tell.

Before sending ammunition for the Burnside carbines wait for the requisition, which goes in tomorrow.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Vicksburg, Miss., October 23, 1863.

Brigadier General JOHN P. HAWKINS,

Commanding Goodrich's Landing:

GENERAL: Your letter in relation to the employment of a portion of your command in repairing the levees at and in the vicinity of Lake Providence duly received, and forwarded to the major-general commanding the department.

As far as my observation goes, I do not think the present scheme of leasing and working plantations will be of much benefit to the General Government, and I have no doubt that the plan suggested by you of dividing up the plantations into half and quarter sections, and letting them out to industrious laborers of the Northwest would, if carried out, be far more remunerative to the United States, and would eventually result in getting a loyal population along the river sufficiently numerous to protect itself against guerilla raids, but I doubt whether there is any law for confiscating and dividing up plantations in this manner; and, furthermore, what we want now is soldiers to crush out the rebellion, and, in order that so many may not be required for defensive purposes, simply to hold the country passed over by our troops, we want some strongly fortified places, which comparatively small garrisons can hold, thereby rendering a large portion of the army available for offensive warfare. Therefore, I consider that

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*Telegraphed by Hurlbut.

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