General RUGGLES, Okolona:

If you will join me here, we can strike the enemy a heavy blow. Will you come, and when?

JAMES R. CHALMERS.

HDQRS. FIFTH MIL. DIST., DEPT. MISS. AND E. LA,
Panola, June 7, 1863.

Colonel H. C. YOUNG, near Byhalia, MISS.:

COLONEL: Your letter of yesterday have been received. Inclosed I hand you an order addressed to Captain W. R. Mitchell,* directing him to report at these headquarters with his company with the least practicable delay; and the brigadier-general commanding directs that you call Captain Mitchell's company out in line, and read the order to him in their presence and hearing, and ask him whether he will obey it. If he assents, direct him to move with his company to this place at once, and see that he sent out do so. It he refuses or hesitates, arrest him at once for disobedience of orders, and send him here under guard; use force, if necessary, and be prepared for any emergency. If he refuses to obey then, order the officer next in rank to bring the company here; and if he refuses, arrest him, and send him here. Before doing so, however, use your influence with him and the men to induce them to come, and, if the men are left without officers, try to persuade them to come in and report without further trouble. It is possible, of course, for them to escape across the lines, and, if they do so, it will be difficult to find them again; but you can tell them in that case they will be treated as deserters, and will forfeit all the pay now due them, which otherwise they will get. We have reports from Memphis confirming the intelligence you send of the force of the enemy at Corinth, and also that horses are to be out from Memphis to mount them, and the general thinks it very important that the railroad should be broken up and communication between these places destroyed as soon as possible. Two boat-loads of horses and a large quantity of forage have already been landed at Memphis. If it is possible, prevent them from being sent over the road.

W. A. GOODMAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

BENTON, June 8, 1863.

Brigadier General John ADAMS:

GENERAL: The outpost duty of this army will be performed by brigadier-General Jackson's DIVISION of cavalry. Please direct Colonel [Wirt] Adams' regiment to join that DIVISION.

As soon as Brigadier-General Jackson's troops are in position on this side of the Big Black, please assemble your mounted infantry at any convenient point (near Scott's Ferry, for instance), to turn over their horses to Brigadier-General Jackson's troops, after which they will join their brigades.

Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson, acting inspector-general of cavalry of this department, will superintend this transfer; after it is made, please report to Major-General Loring for command of a brigade of his DIVISION.

J. E. Johnston.

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* Omitted.

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