down the river under orders. There are but two Saint Louis boats remaining here. I cannot get horses to remount my cavalry, because of want of transportation. As Colonel Allen informs me, I cannot get forage for the horses I have, for the same reason, and shall soon be out of rations. Less than eight first-class boats will not be enough to supply this depot, running regularly between here and Saint Louis. Three of our large boats have been sent up the Cumberland, and there are none in the upper rivers. I think you must have more boats than you need below, and it will soon be a very serious matter here, and if here, then to the whole army below. I earnestly request immediate consideration to be given to this matter.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

P. S. -Inclose extract of communication from Mr. Wallace, just in from Noxubee, MISS.

[Extract.]

They [the rebels] are still massing their forces upon Rosecrans, determined to overwhelm him. Their cavalry force is very large-fully 20,000-and they are making every effort to swell it to 25,000, and to crush him by relentless pursuit if the advantage is with them. They are drawing forces, to re-enforce Johnston [Bragg], from Richmond, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, and Vicksburg, although few are gone from Vicksburg. The force within supporting distance of Vicksburg he estimates at from 50,000 to 75,000 men.

CORINTH, April 1, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel John A. RAWLINS:

The enemy are repairing all the bridges from Savannah east and from Florence north. They are also building a large number of boats in several of the creeks. They also guard the river from Florence to Duck River, and now have heavy bodies of cavalry massed near Mount Pleasant. Three gunboats have just gone up the river.

G. M. DODGE.

I send the above, just received. Such preparations are to recross the Tennessee. I have sent this to-day to Cairo, to be telegraphed to Rosecrans.

I respectfully and earnestly ask another cavalry regiment for Dodge at Corinth.

In haste,

S. A. HURLBUT.

MEMPHIS, TENN., April 1, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel John A. RAWLINS, Asst. Adjt. General Dept. Tennessee:

COLONEL: The following statements are from one Forest Coburn, who reports himself at these headquarters as a spy from General Banks, and who visited Port Hudson under his instructions, and while there was forced into the rebel service, and from that place was sent to the Yazoo River, to work on the rebel gunboats at Yazoo City. From Yazoo City he was sent with others to Greenwood, to work on the rafts in Yazoo River. While there he escaped to our lines, and was sent by Brigadier-General Ross to Major-General Prentiss, at Helena, and by him forwarded to these headquarters. The subjoined are his statements.

He was born in New York; has been living in New Orleans for seven