as you want. Also expel all citizens, both from the North and the South, who are troublesome or exercise an unhealthful influence upon the troops. I regard a mercenary, pretended Union trader within the lines of an army as more dangerous than the shrewdest spy.

Very respectfully,

U. S. GRANT.

HEAD OF MILLIKEN'S BEND, La., March 18, 1863.

Major General John A. McClernand,

Commanding Thirteenth Army Corps:

It was my intention to have stopped at the Bend to-day to have explained fully to you the nature of the present movements. But being delayed so late, compels me to pass on to Young's Point.

I have had information, both from my own means of knowing and from Southern papers, that Ross has penetrated to Greenwood, on the Yazoo River; further, that the rebels have sent a number of steamers loaded with troops up to resist him. My efforts to get down steamers to carry troops to the support of Ross in time, have proven somewhat abortive. It is necessary, therefore, to give him aid from here. Admiral Porter, who was equally interested, and much more familiar with the country intervening between the Mississippi and the Yazoo, caused a partial exploration of the passes through by the way of Steele's Bayou to Deer Creek, and thence to the Yazoo, for the purpose of getting in the rear of any force that may have been sent up. I went with the admiral on his SECOND excursion, and, so far as explored, know it to be perfectly practicable. I am, therefore, sending an infantry DIVISION to their support, at Admiral Porter's request, and hope such favorable reports will be received as to justify me in sending all available forces through by that route. I would thus have all my forces concentrated at any given point, and save the necessity of dividing them, which I wish to avoid, if possible.

I have countermanded the order for General McPherson to go through Yazoo Pass, on account of the difficulty of procuring the right kind of transportation, and because it is now too late, and will bring him with this end of the expedition.

Two DIVISIONS, however, Generals J. E. Smith's and Quinby's, are going that route, and I hope Quinby is already with Ross. These are the facts which I wished to communicate principally, and to notify you that you should hold your corps in readiness to move when called upon.

U. S. GRANT.

MILLIKEN'S BEND, March 18, 1863.

Brigadier General PETER J. OSTERHAUS,

Commanding NINTH DIVISION:

GENERAL: I am informed by General Grant that he expects to find a navigable communication between Steele's Bayou and Deer Creek, a tributary of the Yazoo River, in which event it is understood that this army corps, together with other forces, will be conveyed through that channel to a point of concentration on the Yazoo. To meet this contingency, it is desirable that you should hold your DIVISION in readiness to move when called on.

Yours, &c.,

JOHN A. McClernand.