HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Pulaski, Tennessee, December 10, 1863.

Major JOHN MURPHY,

Fifth Tennessee, Cav., Comdg. Home Guards, Waynesborough:

You will move out with what efficient force you can spare, one the Lexington road, reporting to Colonel Rowett, Seventh Illinois Mounted Infantry, at Lexington, Ala., to-morrow night. If possible, your command will be supplied with four days' rations and 40 rounds of ammunition per man.

Full instructions are in the hands of colonel Rowett, Seventh Illinois Infantry.

By order of T. W. Sweeny, brigadier-general commanding:

L. H. EVERTS,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

CORINTH, December 10, 1863.,

Major-General HURLBUT:

Forrest's headquarters are at Jackson; his command in engaged in conscripting, collecting army supplies, and destroying the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. They are burning all the remaining trestles and bridges, and taking up the track and burning the ties. Newsom with his command is operating 10 miles north of Bethel on the railroad. A party of officers from Bragg's army passed between this and Eastport two days ago, going to Jackson; one of them represented himself a commissary for Bragg's army, and that he was going into West Tennessee to buy beef.

Forrest made a speech on his arrival in Jackson, in which he said he had not come into West Tennessee to make a raid; that he intended to permanently hold West Tennessee if he had to fight a battle three times a day. Rebel gas.

JNumbers D. STEVENSON.

Brigadier-General.

CORINTH, December 10, 1863.

Major-General. HURLBUT:

I have a paper, captured from a rebel, that purports to be an authority from the major-general commanding the rebel forces in the State of Mississippi to the bearer to sell to the enemy cotton, the proceeds thereof to be expended in the purchase of munitions of war, and protecting all cotton brought to our lines from confiscation or destruction by rebel troops. Under this arrangement cotton is being constantly brought to our lines. I have directed it all to be seized for the benefit of the Government. There are also person engaged as agents of these, authorized by the Treasury agent to buy cotton at Corinth,outside of our lines, buying cotton from rebels.

What shall I do with such persons and their employes?

JNumbers D. STEVENSON,

Brigadier-General.