HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, Tenn., October 9, 1862.

Major-General FORREST:

GENERAL: Your letter was received late by mail last evening. The general commanding directs me to say that he has ordered the Fourth Florida, Thirty-second Alabama, and Colonel [J. A.] McDowell's infantry regiments, with Freeman's and Dure's batteries and one other battery of Major Montgomery's artillery battalion at Calhoun, Ga., with Colonel J. T. Morgan's regiment and Major Gunter's squadron of cavalry, to report to you. No other troops can be spared, and he will still regard these troops as under his command, as the necessities of the department may require their recall at any time. Captain McCreery will start immediately with the arms, ammunition, and accouterments called for by your telegrams received last night. General Bragg, by letter of the 27th ultimo, desired him to send all exchanged prisoners to him in Kentucky by way of Cumberland Gap. The major-general commanding will very gladly give you all the aid he can to assist you in your operations against Nashville.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, Tenn., October 9, 1862.

Major General J. C. BRECKINRIDGE:

GENERAL: I send you with this several telegrams received late last night. Forrest is calling so urgently for troops that I am obliged to beg off from my agreement to give you McDowell's regiment, as it is the only one available to send to Murfreesborough. I shall send Fain's regiment also as soon as I can find a guard to replace it at Loudon. In view of our disaster at Corinth I think it more desirable than ever that Nashville should be taken without delay, and I believe the most valuable service you can render just now is to aid in taking that place. Could not Colonel Hanson's command be detached on that service? Please return the telegram.

In haste, most respectfully, &c.,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
October 10, 1862.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.:

Brigadier-General Forrest, commanding in East Tennessee, headquarters Murfreesborough, has been calling on me several days for troops. I have sent him all I can spare from guarding this line. Chattanooga has hardly a sufficient guard for the public property. Forrest telegraphs again this morning that he anticipates an attack at Murfreesborough to-morrow, and that he shall be obliged to fall back unless I re-enforce him. I cannot do that unless I am authorized to detail a part of General Breckinridge's command, now here en route to Kentucky. He has from 8,000 to 9,000 men, including exchanged prisoners, and

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