[CHAP. XXXV.

MEMPHIS, May 9, 1863.

General ROSECRANS:

My cavalry has met the enemy, reported 1,500 strong, at Tupelo, and driven them with severe loss to Okolona. It is said to be Forrest's command. Nothing from Streight. Grant has defeated the enemy ear Port Gibson, and holds the bridge over the Big Black, 8 miles up. He is striking for the railroad bridge, and is reported to have destroyed it.

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

LEXINGTON, May 10, 1863.

Major-General BURNSIDE:

Following from Carter:

General WILLCOX:

I telegraphed yesterday p.m. that unless the road soon improves, it will be impossible, without a great increase of transportation, to obtain forage for the mounted force here. I have already had to diminish forage to half-rations for horses, and am grazing a part of the mules without any corn. The ration of bread has been reduced one-third, and, even with that reduction, I fear we cannot get supplies. The road to Hall's Gap is in a terrible condition. A working party has been sent out to repair it. The mules of the supply trains are young, and so thin that they cannot haul half a load, and I fear that, unless matters soon improve, cavalry and artillery horses will in a little while be in an equally bad condition. To-night we have not a single ration in commissary store at this post, although train will be in to-morrow. Will it not be better to move the greater part of the force back to a point near our supplies until roads improve, and the depot, say at Stanford, is well stocked with rations and forage? Either that step will be necessary or the transportation must be much increased.

I have sent to learn if there is any truth in report of the rebels being in force at Livingston.

CARTER,

General.

O. B. WILLCOX.

[Indorsement.]

I am sending forward transportation as fast as received from Cincinnati, but there is great delay in receiving it from that point.

W. W. VAN NESS,

Chief Quartermaster.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Murfreesborough, May 10, 1863.

Brigadier General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 1st instant, on the subject of cavalry horses, was yesterday received and carefully considered. I thank you for taking pains to write so fully. I will explain to you with equal care the true state of the case in this army, for I find you have fallen into quite a number of errors on the subject.

1st. It is a fact that up to the 1st instant our total supply of cavalry horses were as follows:

Cavalry horses on hand................................ 6,537

Mounted infantry...................................... 1,938

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Total................................................. 8,475

Less at least one-quarter not serviceable............. 2,119

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Making cavalry, mounted, not over..................... 6,356