Jno. A. Rawlins to Ulysses S. Grant, December 11, 1862

Washington, December 11, 1862.

Brigadier-General ELLET, Cairo, Ill. :

General Grant has been ordered to assign Company K, Highteenth Illinois, to the ram fleet. Communicate with him in regard to location of the company and when it will join the fleet.

Il. W. ILALLECK, General-in- Chief.

Saint Louis, Mo., December 11, 1362 Major-General GRANT:

Your dispatch received. We will furnish the transportation you require as rapidly as possible. It cannot be done within the time you mention. Coal is very scarce—must depend principally upon obtaining it from points on the Ohio. I have telegraphed to all points. The river is low. I cannot tell how fast coal can be brought down. Steamboatmen inform me that with little delay wood can be chopped when coal cannot be supplied. I had, previous to your dispatch, informed the General-in-Chief and the Quartermaster-General that coal must be sent from the Ohio, and am informed that prompt attention will be given.

ROBT. ALLEN, Chief Quartermaster.

OXFORD, Miss., December 11, 1862. Col. T. LYLE DICKEY, Springfield, Miss. :

Lieutenant Wilson has gone to the front. You need not start east until Saturday. Strike the road as far south as possible and travel north along it, doing all the damage possible. I will instruct Dodge to move out a brigade from Corinth. Send your sick back here.

U. S. GRANT, Major-General.

OxFoORD, Miss., December 11, 1862. Brig. Gen. GRENVILLE M. DopDGE, Corinth, Miss.:

Cavalry will leave Springfield on Saturday to strike Mobile road. Send out a force from Corinth to co-operate, allowing them to go as far south as Tupelo if practicable. Keep a sharp lookout for Brage’s forces. Should he approach Corinth I will re-enforce you sufficiently. You have a much more important command than that of a division in the field.

It would probably be well to send toward Iuka at the same time you

send south. U. S. GRAN’, Major-General.

BETHEL, TENN., December] 11, [1862]. Major General GRANT:

Your dispatch received, concerning which I learn to-day from the Tennessce River as follows: That rebel forces are making headquarters on Indian Creek, 20 miles east of Savannah—Biffle’s and Cox’s men. My scouts do not report re-enforcements, but say Forrest’s forces are in and about Columbia. Roddey’s men are said to have crossed the Alabama ; not sure of it. Iexpect to get word from Biffle’s camp to-night. I have scouts extending from Hamburg to Clifton, on the Tennessee. They are citizen scouts, but are reliable and active. I have furnished them arms. They are away from home and need subsistence. May J issue

t 2 aie I. N. HAYNIL, Colonel, Commanding Post.

BETHEL, TENN., December 11, 1862. Major-General GRANT:

Scout Perkins, just in from Yellow Creek, 15 miles above Hamburg, reports Roddey’s men, 800 strong, there. Left there at daylight this a. m.; says there are several ferry-boats in river—one at State Line Ferry, one at Yellow Creek, and the other above Yellow Creek. No report of forces crossing. Perkins gathers from secesh that Roddey is said to be the advance of larger forces. Southern scrip in good demand up there. Returned Confederates say the army is destitute and is coming on this way after supplies. Scouts start to-night to hunt

main forces. I. N. HAYNIE, Colonel.

NASHVILLE, TENN., December 11, 1862. Major-General GRANT: Tell the authorities along the road to look out for Forrest. W. S. ROSECRANS.

OXFORD, Miss., December 11, 1862. Brig, Gen. GRENVILLE M. DoDGE, Oorinth, Miss.:

Look out for Forrest’s cavalry on line of railroad. Dispatch from General Rosecrans would indicate he is threatening it at some point, though he does not state where.

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

Assistant-Adjutant General.
(Same to General Sullivan.)
LA GRANGE, December 11, 1862.
Brigadier-General SULLIVAN:
One hundred of Forrest’s (now Richardson’s) cavalry left Moscow
yesterday morning ; supposed to be near Macon.- Batteries in position,
breastworks built, and troops on their arms to-night. All is prepared.