CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, November 4, 1863-8 p.m. [Received 3 a.m.,5th.]

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Has Hurlbut been directed to open the railroad from Columbus to Corinth? If so, should not the railroad from Memphis to Corinth be abandoned? It will be impossible, without breaking up the army in the field too much, to guard railroad from Bear Creek to Decatur. Two steam-boats are successfully plying between Brown's Ferry and Bridgeport. Two more will be ready in two weeks. Sherman's advance must now be near Athens.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, November 4, 1863.

Maj. Gen. U. S. GRANT:

Your dispatch received. Colonel L. B. Parsons has made requisition for locomotives and cars to be used on the Memphis and Charleston road from Memphis. Would it be well to send those at Vicksburg to Memphis and bring those Colonel Parsons wants to this point, to save transportation?

Nashville and Decatur Railroad is in working order to a point within 6 miles of Columbia. It will be next to impossible to make trestle stand during the winter in the streams this side of Duck River. In Richland Creek, which the road crosses five times between Columbia and Athens, trestles will not stand the freshets of winter. There are eighteen bridges between this point and Athens, all of which I understand have been destroyed. Would it not be better to contract with reliable parties to make and erect permanent bridges at the earliest day on that line? Could the bridges over Tennessee River at Decatur be framed and ready to raise as soon as the country is fairly occupied, it would give us a much more reliable line of supplies for Chattanooga than this line.

J. B. ANDERSON,

General Manager.

NASHVILLE, November 4, 1863.

Major-General GRANT:

Your dispatch of the 3rd just received. The quartermaster reports eight boats as having arrived at Nashville, since the 1st instant, loaded with forage and commissary stores. A number are reported on the way up.

W. R. ROWLEY,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.

CHATTANOOGA, November 4, 1863.

J. B. ANDERSON,

Manager Military Railroads, Nashville, Tennessee:

Your idea of having bridges framed and brought here ready to put up is approved. There are now six bridges at Louisville belonging to Government, ready made, that can be brought forward. Make contracts