burg seems to be a better position for you to occupy than Clinton. If you know any reason why it is not, you will please communicate it to him.

Very respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

D. W. FLOWERREE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MAY 4, [1863.]

Colonel R. C. TRIGG, Abingdon, Va.:

Can you spare any infantry? If so, send it to Gracie. Answer.

By order of Major-General Maury:

D. W. FLOWERREE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
Tullahoma, Tenn., May 5, 1863.

Major-General WHEELER, Commanding Cavalry Corps:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs me to acknowledge receipt of your dispatch of the 4th instant, and in reply to say that unless Colonel Chenault can satisfactorily explain his report of the loss of General Pegram's artillery, he must be arrested and brought to trial.* If General Morgan should move on East Tennessee, the general directs that he operate in the rear of the enemy.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
Tullahoma, May 5, 1863.

Major-General WHEELER, Commanding McMinnville:

GENERAL: There is so great a conflict between the report of Colonel D. W. Chenault and that from Brigadier-General Pegram and his officers, in relation to the opposition offered to the enemy after he passed the Cumberland near Monticello, that the commanding general desires you to submit the report of General Pegram, and the statement of his officers, to Colonel Chenault, and ask him for an explanation and a detailed report of his own operations and of those connected with Colonel [J. J.] Morrison.*

The pickets do not seem to have been aware of the attempt of the enemy to cross the river until it was a success, or, knowing it, the main body of the cavalry seem to have made no opposition at the place where opposition was most likely to be followed buy success or serious damage to the enemy, viz, at the passage of the river. The manner in which observation of the river is performed is also worthy of your attention.

It is not desirable that General Morgan should construe his orders into a positive direction to attack the enemy under any and every circumstance. It is most desirable to force the enemy back, but whether this can best be done by direct attack or by maneuvering on their flanks and rear he must decide.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. MACKALL,

Chief of Staff.

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*See Expedition from Columbia, etc., April 26-May 12, 1863, Part I, p. 316.

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