Earl Van Dorn to Sterling Price, September 3, 1862
Jackson, Miss., September 3, 1862.
General STERLING PRICE, Commanding Army of the West:
GENERAL: Your dispatches by the hands of Captain Wood, aide-de. camp, have been received. I shall move all the troops I have to Holly Springs on Saturday, and will probably be ready to march on the 12th. If Rosecrans remains at Corinth we had better join forces west of him and maneuver him out of that strong place, and at the same time prevent Grant and Sherman from joining him. I think it would be-well even to turn your column as far as Grand Junction to join me, and then march in a northeast direction across the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, if Rosecrans does not move at once. If, however, he moves off you will have to follow him to the river and bring him at bay until I ean join you, which I will do with all possible dispatch. Separated we can do but little; joined we may do much. Let us join between the forces of the enemy, somewhere between Grand Junction and Corinth; then bearing off toward his line of supplies we will compel him to fly toward Nashville or north of that city without being able to receive forces of Sherman or Grant. These will then fall back up the river and we will] follow Rosecrans. Keep me advised, will you not, of your movements? I will goto Holly Springs Sunday; will join you as soon as possible. Do not leave me and go east if you can avoid it; we can do more together west of the Tennessee, for awhile at least. We should try and shake them loose from all points in West Tennessee; then march to join Bragg, if necessary. We will have 10,000 more men, too, in a short time; these would join by way of Grand Junction or Corinth.
Iam not very well to-day and will beg you to pardon this poorly written paper. Will write again in a day or two.
Very respectfully, general, I am, your obedient servant,
Major-General.
JACKSON, Miss., September 3, 1862.
General STERLING PRICE:
1 had proposed to meet you at Holly Springs, but if the enemy at Corinth are leaving better fall on him at river. I go to Grand Junction or
Holly Springs in a few days. Will join you, or you me, according to
circumstances. I think we can maneuver enemy out of his pusition