LEWISBURG, January 19, 1865.

Major-General REYNOLDS,

Little Rock:

My information (which I believe to be correct) is that Brook's command was re-enforced by Colonel Gordon with 600 men and no artillery, being detached from a command under Shelby, who was on his way to occupy Fort Smith, but turned back at Waldron. The force operating on the River is 2,000 men and two pieces of artillery.

Respectfully,

I. W. FULLER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF MISSISSIPPI,
Memphis, Tenn., January 19, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General Hdqrs. Mil. Div. of West Miss., New Orleans, La.:

SIR: I herewith inclose a petition presented by a number of the citizens of Memphis last night, remonstrating against the closing of the lines, and a copy of my reply. Some of the points are well taken, and doubtless there is some reason why a somewhat different policy should be adopted here, from the more rigid one found necessary in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas; still, I would have no hope of, by any liberality or laxity of rule, coming up to the desires of hopeful traders. So long as Hood's army lies at Corinth, or is in this district, I could not counsel any relaxation, but should Major-General Thomas force him out of Corinth, south, and cover this country by this operations, I would advise that the lines be partially opened. I also inclose a letter just received from Thomas M. Redd, esq., surveyor of customs at Paducah, bearing on this same subject. There is an evident necessity for a uniformity of action at Paducah, and the District of West Tennessee. General Meredith, commanding District of Western Kentucky, headquarters at Paducah, has again sent orders, under instructions from Brevet Major-General Burbridge, to Colonel J. N. McArthur, commanding at Columbus, Ky., not to obey my orders, and threatening him. To prevent collision Generals Burbridge and Meredith should be restrained by orders from the War Department.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. J. T. DANA,

Major-General.

[Inclosed Numbers 1.]

MEMPHIS, TENN., January 2, 1865.

Major General N. J. T. DANA,

Commanding Department of Mississippi:

GENERAL: Your petitioners, loyal citizens of Memphis, desirous to mitigate the sufferings of our people and to rekindle in their hearts their former "love of country", and thus add a moral victory to the brilliant successes that have recently crowned the efforts of our armies, deem it not only our privilege but duty to remonstrate against any unnecessary hardships being imposed upon then, and respectfully but urgently pray that the present orders closing the lines against the loyal residents of West Tennessee be revoked. We offer the following reasons: First. In West Tennessee there are many loyal men and women and helpless children (among them the wives, children, and parents of