IUKA, October 27, 1863.

Major-General HURLBUT:

General Dodge was here last night, and spoke of his division as the Second Division of you corps. Its aggregate, he said, would be about 8,000 men, leaving out Sweeny's command at La Grange. General Dodge wrote you last night a letter, which you will get this evening, giving the regiments composing his old division.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Iuka, October 27, 1863.

General HURLBUT,

Memphis:

I make up my figures from the field report made by you. Dodge proposes to take two regiments of cavalry, two batteries of artillery, and certain regiments of infantry, which he enumerated and wrote to you. After I cut loose, if our road be found to be an element of weakness, we will drop it for a time. With our present force we cannot attempt to reopen the northern road. It will be time for us to replace our roads when the new levies come to us next spring. This present pressure is a crisis, and we must strip for it. General Dodge's letter will explain all when received by you.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

MEMPHIS, October 27, 1863.

Major-General SHERMAN:

I have at Memphis, infantry and artillery, 4,793; in Dodge's command, 8,978; at Columbus, 2,777; deduct from Columbus the One hundred and eleventh Illinois, ordered to Florence, and the One hundred and thirty-first, gone to Vicksburg, by Grant's order, and Columbus is within your margin. I have in the Cavalry Division 5,653. I will organize at once the division you speak of, but wish to know in what proportions of infantry and cavalry you want, as that number (8,000) cannot be made of infantry, without stripping every post of infantry, and leaving less on the line by far than you propose. My effective infantry and artillery this side the Mississippi is 16,548 to be retained, and your order, 10,000, leaving available 6,548. Do you still want the Columbus and Corinth Railroad opened, as formerly directed? It appears to me a useless expense, as it certainly cannot be kept.

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tennessee, October 27, 1863.

Brigadier General G. M. DODGE,

Corinth, Miss.:

Letters received. You will take your old division unbroken. Supply the points mentioned in your letter as you indicate. It