[Fourth indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In Field, Chattanooga, November 2, 1863.

Respectfully returned to Major-General Thomas, commanding Department of the Cumberland, who will order Captain P. U. Schmitt and all others captured and paroled by the rebel Wheeler to report immediately to their respective commands for duty, their paroles being given in violation of the cartel, and therefore not valid.

By order of Major-General Grant:

ELY S. PARKER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Memphis, November 3, 1863.

Major-General GRANT:

I have sent to Sherman Dodge's division, fourteen regiments, and Fuller's brigade, four regiments, which, with their appropriate artillery, will make over 10,000 effective men in complete order. This colored, of infantry, and my cavalry to cover and hold this entire line. I have stripped myself to positive weakness, and cannot carry out the order to open the telegraph from Columbus to Corinth.

The force in Mississippi is rapidly increasing. They are repairing the railroad to Holly Springs, and infantry will move up. McPherson found them too strong, and fell back. Unless I receive troops from Arkansas soon, I may be compelled to abandon Corinth and concentrate at La Grange. This I dislike to do, as it is a confession of weakness.

Sherman directs Tuttle's division to go by water to Eastport. I think McPherson will not like to spare them. Collierville is not attacked in force. I shall have three regiments of cavalry there in an hour, and if Mizner comes down as ordered, on the other flank, will attend to them.

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Memphis, Tennessee, November 3, 1863.

Maj. Gen. U. S. GRANT,
Comdg. Military Division of the Miss., Chattanooga:

GENERAL: I send this letter by Lieutenant Dunn; I also telegraph the substance of it. I had expected a strong diversion in favor of this line from McPherson. He evidently thinks the enemy much stronger than we have supposed, and, in fact, as far as I can learn, his retreat was involuntary from the neighborhood of Canton.

The repair of road up to Holly Springs, now nearly perfected, may bring their infantry closer than I like it, and as there is a considerable force at work on the road from Meridian to Jackson, it may be expected that they will dissolve before your main force and come round into Mississippi.