Jno. A. Rawlins to In Charge of Mails for General Grant's Army, December 12, 1862

Corinth, Miss., December 12, 1862.

You will proceed, in command of two regiments of infantry in wagons, one section of artillery, and cavalry, south, if practicable, as far as Tupelo. You will leave Corinth at daylight to-morrow (Saturday) morning; reach Saltillo at daylight Monday morning. A force of cavalry from Spring Dale, on Grand Junction and Grenada Railroad, willleave that place at same time you leave here, and cross the railroad some point near Tupelo. Your movement is made to co-operate with them. On your return you will strike east of Mobile and Ohio Railroad and wipe out any straggling bands of the enemy you may find coming to Corinth by way of Jacinto. You will keep me advised of all your movements by couriers, and take extra care that no unauthorized depredations are committed by the troops. All good stock mules and horses, belonging to rebels in arms, found fit for service will be taken and brought here. Any cotton found belonging to rebels in arms will also be taken oy the return, and all the teams when near Corinth will be loaded with forage.

These instructions are given as the general outline, but full discretion is given the commanding officer to vary from them so far as march and attack are concerned should circumstances require it.

Great care must be taken in keeping the destination of the forces secret, and that it is not in any way surprised; and every endeavor will be taken to ascertain the force of the enemy at Saltillo to see that it has not been re-enforced.

By order of Brig. Gen. G. M. Dodge:

GEO. E. SPENCER, Captain, Assistant Adjutant. General.

; OXFORD, MIss., December 12, 1862. Admiral PORTER, Cairo, Lil. :

A large force of rebel cavalry is moving west from Columbia, Tenn., toward Savannah, Tenn. Can a light-draught gunboat get up there at this time ?

U. S. GRANT, Major-General.

CAIRO, ILL., December 12, 1862. General GRANT:

Two gunboats are working their way up Tennessee River, but cannot get higher than Cuba Ford. One is ashore. DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear-Admiral.

JACKSON, December 12, 1862. Major-General GRANT:

Scouts from Tennessee River report at Bethel that Forrest’s cavalry are marching via Waynesborough from Columbia, striking the river at Savannah. I will order all the roads obstructed and try and force them south. Cannonading was heard in the direction of Yellow Creek to-day from Bethel. The people of this district are flocking in to take the oath. I allow them until Monday.

JER. C. SULLIVAN, Brigadier-General.

SPECIAL FIELD en Hpqrs. ARMY IN THE FIELD, No. 21. Oxford, Miss., December 12, 1862.

I. Distress and almost famine having been brought on many of the inhabitants of Mississippi by the march of the two armies through the land, and humanity dictating that in a land of plenty no one should suffer the pangs of hunger, the general commanding directs that the eee provision shall be made at all military posts within this

tate :

II. At each post one or more loyal persons will be authorized to keep for sale provisions and absolute necessaries for family use. Nothing will be sold except on permits granted by the commanding officers of posts, and no permits will be granted for a greater amount of any one article than the commander may believe is necessary for the family of the purchaser.

Ill. A fund may be created at each post to supply the necessaries of destitute families gratis, either by levying contributions upon those disloyal persons who are able to pay, taxing cotton brought to their posts for sale, or in any other equitable way.

IV. All contributions so collected will be expended by the post commissary on the order of the commanding officers, and the accounts will be kept separate from all other accounts.

V. The commanding officers of posts will require all accounts of these disbursements to be presented for their examination weekly, and they will be held responsible that these accounts are properly kept.

V1. All such accounts will be open for inspection to the inspectorgeneral of the department at any time he may call for them.

By order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant:

[JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant-Adjutant-General.

OarR0, December 12, 1862.

O. H. Ross, Esgq.,

In Charge of Mails for General Grant’s Army :

You will without delay take possession of all mail-locks, keys, or

other property belonging to the Post-Office Department found in the

hands of any one in the lines of the army except the adjutant-general