SAGEVILLE,

Seven Miles from Meridian, February 16, 1864-10.30 o'clock.

Major General JAMES B. McPHERSON,

Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps:

The advance of my command arrived at this place at 3.30 p. M. and the entire command is now encamped in town. We met no opposition. The road is generally good. There has been no bridge across the Oktibbeha at the crossing three miles from here for some time, but the fording is not bad and the infantry can cross on the railroad bridge. In viewof the probability of your desiring to cross with the rest of your command, I did not destroy the bridge, but will leave it to be done hereafter. I hae not succeeded in finding any breadstuff, but provisions of every other kind seem to be plenty. Corn can be procured, but there are no mills in town, and I have not had time to look for any outside, but will do so in the morning. Everything has been removed from here-all the Government property and all private property that could be transported. Citizens say that all the troops here except two brigades went toward Demopolis; that the two brigades went to Mobile. I don't think there are any troops in this vicinity, except perhaps, a few wandering companies of cavalry. I will send resham with his brigade and the cavalry in the morning to Quitman to destroy the railroad bridges at that place, and will put the rest of my command vigorously at work destroying the railroad in this vicinity. I did not have time to do anything of importance destroying the road to-day.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. M. CROCKER,

Brigadier-General.

[32.]

HEADQUARTERS ESCORT TO TRAIN,
Near Tallahatta, February 16, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM T. CLARK,

Assistant Adjutant-General Seventeenth Army Corps:

SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the general commanding, that nothing of importance has occurred so far, and I can hear of no very large bodies of rebels in this vicinity, although small parties are around us on all sides, and our foraging parties generally exchange shots with a few rebels every day. A party said to consist of two regiments of Texas cavalry, are on the creek beyond Matthews' place, and a party of sixty are said to be camped near the forks of the road to Union (Texans also) for the purpose of making a dash on

---------------

*See also McPherson to Crocker, VOL. XXXII, Part II, p. 400.

---------------