such points as they can reach. Bragg himself holds his lines from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and will operate on Rosecrans' line of communication.

Under the orders of the General-in-Chief, if the rear of Price's movement is to be attacked, it can only be done by detaching from the army below a DIVISION, either Herron's Missouri force, or by sending me for that purpose such DIVISION of my corps as you may choose. If you detach a DIVISION, it will be necessary to send them with field transportation and field artillery. I am very light in batteries for the field.

I respectfully ask for such orders from you as may, in your judgment, be necessary and proper.

I have the honor to be, general, your obedient servant,

S. A. HURLBUT

CORINTH, MISS., July 17, 1863.

General HURLBUT, Memphis:

Colonel Hurst followed Biffle to Purdy, and then turned and went toward Camden. This would bring him near Paris. I have put a company, with some of my best scouts, on a gunboat, to go to Paris.

Colonel Hatch sends the following:

Richardson has not 200 armed followers, and is somewhere WEST of Somerville. When at Jackson he heard of a Colonel Morgan, but understood he was east of Tennessee River. Forrest made a speech in Jackson on the 13th, and all regiments, detachments, and squads were, in a printed circular, ordered to be at Jackson on that day. As many squads arrived, it is believed no force was in the Paris country.

G. M. DODGE.

JACKSON, July 17, 1863-8 p. m.

Colonel HUBBARD, Black River Bridge:

We are in possession of Jackson, and Johnston is in full retreat eastward. There is no necessity of your keeping any force east of Black River, unless General Grant wishes me to push on to Meridian. Keep things as they are till I consult further by telegraph with General Grant. The cavalry force that cut our lines has swung round to the south, but will get east as fast as they can. My cavalry is up at Canton and beyond.

[W. T. SHERMAN.]

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE GULF, NINETEENTH A. C.,
New Orleans, July 18, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT, Comdg. Dept of the Tenn.:

MY DEAR GENERAL: The substance of your communication has been sent me by telegraph, and I shall receive the papers themselves by the first transport from Port Hudson. Accept my thanks for the steamers ordered to report to me. They will be of great service. I am glad to assure you that I can get along with the force I have for the present without serious difficulty. The enemy is in force, about 8,000, probably, in the Lafourche district, but can do no harm. They may escape capture. My troops are too much disabled by a campaign of four months to proceed against them directly. My intention is to get possession of Berwick Bay and the Atchafalaya River, and thus hold them. My troops being concentrated at Donaldsonville, on the Mississippi, to prevent their