HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Memphis, Tennessee, November 10, 1863.

Maj. Gen. U. S. GRANT,
Chattanooga, Tennessee:

The enemy are repairing Mobile and Ohio Railroad to Saltilo, and Mississippi Central to Tallahatchie. Corinth will be attacked as son as they are done, say in the days. Troops are not yet come from Vicksburg or Arkansas. All quiet now on my line.

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

CHATTANOOGA, November 10, 1863-9 a.m.

(Received 12th.)

Major-General HURLBUT,

Memphis:

Direct rails and chairs to be taken up on railroad from Memphis to Humboldt, Tennessee, and from Memphis to Grenada, and the Central Railroad south of Grand Junction, and ship them by river to Nashville with all dispatch. Commence on each road as far off as possible to give the greatest amount of rails and chairs. Direct commanding officer at Corinth to do same thing south from there. He can load wagons going to Hamburg for supplies, and ship rails to Reynoldsburg, on Tennessee River. You can keep Tuttle's division.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., SIXTH DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS, Union City, Tennessee, November 10, 1863.

Brigadier-General SMITH,
Commanding Division:

Faulkner and his coadjutors cannot possibly raise 2,000 armed men, and I think I can hold my ground against any 3,000, armed as they must be. I have four good guns well manned, and with 800 rounds of assorted ammunition. I have infantry enough to support the battery, and cavalry enough to follow up a victory. Still I don't want to be attacked until a week after I get my axes; then I am quite safe. Ii prefer to send out no expedition until the abatis is completed. When that shall be done I think our position will be very easy to hold, and as good a point of departure for the other side of Obion River as we could have. The roads will be horrible, but they will that wherever we may go. I used to think Clinton the better place; now I think this the better position in view of its easier defensibility.

Captain Burns has taken in a list of the ammunition on hand here, and I have ordered a requisition made to complete the supply to 100 rounds.

I would suggest that [at] some point between Paris and the Tennessee River [there are] better roads to the place where the rebels now keep themselves, but it is a question whether they would not come on to this side if we were there.

I want arms for 100 Tennessee men.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE E. WARING, Jr.,

Colonel Fourth Missouri Cav. Volunteers, Comdg. Brigade.

8 R R-VOL XXXI, PT III