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

Captain HOPKINS,

Depot Commissary, Memphis, Tennessee:

It is necessary that all the stores possible should be collected at Corinth as soon as practicable. We should have on hand there 500,000 rations. The road cannot be secure long, and they should be pushed out as speedily as possible.

Your obedient servant,

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

U. S. GUNBOAT HASTINGS,

Eastport, October 27, 1863.

Major General WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, U. S. Army,

Commanding Department of the Tennessee.

GENERAL: The river has been rising for two days, but is again on a stand, with scant 3 feet on the shoals. It would be a risk to send the Key West up to Cane Creek, and she could not remain there to cross the divisions with the river in its present condition. A light-draught steamer could take the barge up-always provided the sunken coal barges will not prevent-and cross the troops. No such boat has arrived, and we do not know when one will come. The remaining transportation of this division will be across during the night. I judge from what we have so far experienced that it will take thirty-six hours of good weather to cross the division. I propose to go down the river this evening to hurry up transports to assist in the crossing, and, if no boat is met, at all events to bring up a flat, with which we can reduce the time of crossing a division to twenty hours. I can reach Fort Henry tomorrow morning, and turn back, so as to be here day after tomorrow evening. I think I shall in this way do the best to the end of getting your forces over. Meanwhile, this vessel will remain here, and will cross transportation and troops as well as has been so far done. In the morning there will be no people to cross, and if the 4 or 5 inch rope (three coils of that circumference) could be got here-and I am told an officer of the pioneers has gone for it-it could be got across, the barge established as a ferry, and the Hastings then could take troops over, thus expediting matters. Your men will have a march of 15 miles to make, which will delay arrival at Chickasaw till day after tomorrow. The next division might not leave the present position till a day later, when, perhaps, the arrival of a suitable boat may enable you to cross it at Cane Creek.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. L. PHELPS,

Lieutenant-Commander.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Iuka, October 27, 1863.

Major General FRANK P. BLAIR, Jr.,

Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

DEAR GENERAL: General Ewing is marching to-day for Eastport; will cross and march to Florence. I was down to Eastport