26th,* and to say that has caused investigations to be made as to the views and purposes of the enemy in Tennessee, and is of the opinion that there is no good reason to believe it is his intention to move immediately in the direction of Selma, and accedes to your wish to remove Jackson's division of cavalry to the prairies near Columbus. He also approves of your making your headquarters at Columbus. He desires you would leave Ferguson and Roddey in Alabama. He had also ordered Brigadier-General Pillow to report to you, with instructions to complete a brigade he is now raising; this brigade to be composed of Armistead's, Hatch's, o Ball's, and Thomas' and Walker's regiments, with any others that may be added. You will instruct General Pillow to push the completion and outfit of this brigade as soon as practicable. He should give his personal attention to if. There will be a battery assigned it and ordered to report to him.

The lieutenant-general desires me to say that he has already ordered the rebuilding of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to Corinth some time since, and that it is now in course of construction, and will in a short time be completed, and that he has also taken measures to rebuild the road from Corinth to Cherokee-perhaps to Tuscaloosa. This last measure is necessary not only for military purposes, but also to aid in sustaining the population in the Tennessee Valley. He has also taken steps to have the works at Corinth put in order, or at least so much as may be held by a small force with light armament, and has determined to move the command of Major-General Forrest there, making it his headquarters and establishing it as a post. This will enable Forrest to threaten Memphis, Paducah, and all other of the enemy's posts on the Mississippi; also to give support to our cause in West Tennessee, and draw out troops and provisions. He will be in position also for a movement on Tennessee Valley, or into Middle Tennessee. The lieutenant-general thinks favorably of moving on Sherman's flank with his force of cavalry and infantry, and is putting himself in communication with General Johnston and the War Department that he may be advised as to the details of the campaign proposed. The lieutenant-general desires to confer with you in person, and wishes you to make his headquarters in your route for Columbus.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

DOUGLAS WEST,

Major and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.-You may inform Roddey, in answer to his inquiry, that it is intended to repair the railroad from Corinth to Tuscumbia.

DOUGLAS WEST,

Major and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

MAY 3, 1864-10 p. m.

Opened and read by General Jackson.

GENERAL: I will move my command to Columbus as soon as I can send quartermasters ahead to collect forage.

W. H. JACKSON,

Brigadier-General.

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* See Vol. XXXII, Part III, pp. 822 and 828.

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