ment is concerned, I feel assured all has been done and will continue to be done which skill, science, and foresight can accomplish. Our soldiers need far more the respect and confidence of their fellow-countrymen at home than they do increased supplies of medicines and hospital stores.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Lake Providence, La., March 15, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT,
Comdg. Department of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: Your dispatch by Lieutenant [David H.] Gile was received last evening. The instructions to General Quinby were to push forward to the support of General Ross as rapidly as possible, which I am confident he will do, as he is fully awake tot he importance of the matter. The First and SECOND Brigades of General Logan's DIVISION are embarking this morning, and will in all probability get off this afternoon. There are not boats enough here to take the whole DIVISION.

Since the water has risen so that the country between here and Bayou Macon can be explored in small boats, I have had out several exploring parties, and Captain Hickenlooper has just returned, having discovered a thoroughly practicable route, indicated by the red line on the inclosed sketch. *

With the exception of one point, where you leave Bayou Baxter at A, the water is from 7 to 8 feet deep along an open road, 60 feet wide. At the point A it is between 2 1/2 and 3 feet deep, and still rising at the rate of from 10 to 12 inches in twenty-four hours.

When the levee is cut here, which I propose to have done as soon as I can get the troops and public property on ground which will be overflowed removed, it will rise very much higher and faster.

General Logan goes up with his two brigades, under instructions to disembark them near or at the Yazoo Pass, if the ground will admit, and send the boats back here for the balance of his command and a portion of General McArthur's.

He is also instructed to embark on small boats, suitable to run the Pass, and push on to the support of General Quinby as rapidly as possible. I shall go up on the next trip of the boats.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. B. McPHERSON.

LAKE PROVIDENCE, March 15, 1863.

Major-General GRANT,

Comdg. Department of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: Dispatch just received. General Logan's First and SECOND Brigades were on board and just ready to move. Have stopped them, and shall let them remain on board until further orders.

Yours, truly,

JAS. B. McPHERSON.

P. S. -No boats here to take another soldier.

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*Sketch not found.

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