we are getting fine horses rapidly. I have fully mounted and equipped 4,000 Tennesseeans who are now ready for good service wherever you most need them. Many of their horses were taken from the country, while I have been issuing the northern horses in the order prescribed. The Third Kentucky Cavalry starts, to the front to-morrow, thoroughly mounted, armed and equipped.

WM. SOOY SMITH,

Brigadier General, Chief of Cavalry, Military Division of the Mississippi.

HDQRS, MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Big Shanty, June 12, 1864.

General WILLIAM SOOY SMITH,

Chief of Cavalry, Nashville:

Your dispatch is satisfactory. How about Harrison's regiment? I think the expedition sent from Memphis June 1 has drawn Forrest from his plan of re-enforcing Johnston or striking our roads. I think our roads are best covered from Decatur, with cavalry in reserve at Pulaski, guarding well Lamb's Ferry and Florence. This should by the duty of Gillem's division. You may send notice to Florence that if Forest invades Tennessee from that direction, the town will be burned, and if it occurs you will removed the inhabitants north of the Ohio River, and burnt the town and Tuscumbia also. Gun-boats will patrol the Tennessee above and below the shoals, and whenever you want a cavalry force to cross at Eastport or Waterloo, you can order up a ferry-boat from Paducah, convoyed by a gun-about. Admiral Porter will give it with promptness and pleasures, if he knows it to be my wish. If Gilem has 4,000 men mounted, he should be south of the Tennessee River, in the direction of Columbus, Miss., with Decatur to fall back on. He can better protect Tennessee from there than from nashville. At all events he should be between Columbia and Florence in motion. Cavalry should not occupy the same camp two successive days, and should habituate their horses to grass and green food. There are enough men now in Kentucky to dispose of John Morgan.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, June 12-13, 1864 - 2.15 a. m.

General THOMAS;

Your note is received and I have sent word to McPherson. If the rebels mean a night attack, all we should do is to give notice to all divisions to be ready. If massing preparatory for daylight, their design is on McPherson's left, around his left flank at our wagon train, which they see so plainly near your headquarters. Therefore Palmer and Howard should hold themselves ready to move to the left toward Moon's Station. At the same time, on the first sign of activity in the enemy's lines, Hooker and Howard should open heavy with artillery on the enemy and push for Pine Hill. The enemy have had their cavalry feeling well in the space between McPherson's left (Blair's) and Garrard, and it is toward that flank the enemy can mass with least difficulty.

Yours,

SHERMAN,

Major-General.