Dorn has with him four brigades of mounted men, with twelve pieces of artillery. His brigades are commanded by Jackson Armstrong, McCulloch, and Whitfield. His stock is not in very good order, and it is hard to determine where they are going; most of the prisoners say to Bragg, while others say to the Valley, to recruit. I have destroyed the bridges in his front, which will retard him. What little cavalry I have are in the mountains in Alabama, and will do all the mischief they can. A gunboat just now at Florence would worry them. Roddey, with all the mounted robbers in the country, has crossed the Tennessee, and is working north, within reach of that river. The officer taken says Van Dorn is not going to Bragg, but is to operate separately. They have their train with them. Do your scouts ever go to Waynesborough? I suspect that to be a point of rendezvous. I have scouts at Florence and Decatur, who will report to you or me, as the case may require.

The above statements are doubtless true.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

MURFREESBOROUGH, TENN.,

February 13, 1863 - 5 p. m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

I have received no reply to my dispatch of February 3, concerning the payment of my command to December 31. I think I can make a statement which will induce you to promise the desired funds when needed. My chief paymaster made an estimate for this payment, based upon the number of regiments and their average strength. There is enough money there for the purpose. Seventeen hundred thousand dollars will make the Nashville and Gallatin payment, and finish my entire command. Can I depend upon receiving that amount within three weeks?

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Murfreesborough, February 13, 1863.

Major-General HALLECK,

Commander-in-Chief:

GENERAL: Your note of the 3rd instant is just received. Accept my thanks for all your efforts in behalf of this army. I doubt not I have had a full proportion of the good arms, but you must not think my telegrams were designed to complain of any partiality toward others, nor on account of any great consequence which I attached to my own command. On the contrary, the purpose was to state, first, that the control of the country required additional cavalry force; second, that we could double our force, without increasing our numbers, by giving all first-class arms; third, that such increase would be very economical as well as expedient, and, therefore, worthy of extra exertions. If one regiment can be made equal to two by revolving rifles, no other one things is so worthy of attention as this, by which you increase the power and effectiveness of your armies, without adding to their members, by a small permanent outlay. I urge it not merely to induce distribution according to our immediate emergency, but to induce the Government, or at least the Commander-in-Chief, to do all in his power to adopt the principle of thus providing for the future. Rest assured I shall not complain of your administration toward me until I have something more than I have had up to this time. But when I urgently urge anything, please be assured it it not personal ambition, nor private interest, but conviction of the