CAIRO, February 19, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

Eight staemrs with 5,000 prisoners here. Shall I send 3,000 of them to Indiana as proposed yesterday? Telegraph reply immediately.

G. W. CULLU,

Brigadier-General.

CAIRO, February 19, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

Telegraph line broken between Mound City and Paducah since 11 a. m. About 9,000 prisoners had gone to Saint Louis before receiving your dispatch. One thousand left for Chicago this evening and 500 follow to-morrow morning. Have made the best defensive disposition in my power. Bad policy sending senior general unfamiliar with forces and localities. Have thus far amply provided for wounded without sending any to Cincinnati.

GEO. W. CULLUM,

Brigadier-General.

CAIRO, ILL., February 19, 1862.

Major General H. W. HALLECK.

MY DEAR GENERAL: It is mighty hard to play everything from corporal to general and to perform the functions of several staff departments almost unaided as I have done the past two weeks. * * * We have provided for all the sick and wounded thus far without sending any to Cincinnati, for which we have no steamer to spare. there are 1,400 at Paducah and 1,200 at Mound City and but few here. Volunteer sergeons and nurses have supplied all my wants and many more are constantly offering. Hordes of brothers, father, mothers, sisters, counsins, &c., have reached here to find the dead and see the wounded, but I have had to refuse passes to all, as they would fill all our steamers, eat our rations, and be of no service to the wounded. By some strange accident several of your telegrams did not come into my hands till after I had telegraphed urgently to you to-day to know the disposition of the prisoners. All but 1,500 had then gone up the Mississippi, being nearly 10,000. Of the remaining, 1,000 went well guarded to-night and 500 will follow in the morning to Camp Douglas.

For want of staemer and guards I was compelled to send officers as well as men, buthad them separated and have instructed the commanding officer at Camp Douglas to continue to keep them apart. The officers came down with pistols and side-arms saying it was so agreed by General Grant. I have disarmed them, sending their swrods and pistols to the commanding officer at Camp Douglas to be governed by your instructions in the matter. I have telegraphed to Smithland if any more came down the Cumberland to send them up the Ohio to Jeffersonville, Ind., to go thence by railroad to Indianapolis.

* * * *

I am completely fagged out, and being among the little hours of the morning I must say good night. *

Yours, very truly,

G. W. CULLUM.

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*For this document entire, see Series I, Vol. VII, p. 942.

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