Unknown to Edwin M. Stanton, October 22, 1862

October 22, 1862.

THIRD DIv. OF THE DIST. OF WEST TENN., Corinth, Miss., October 22, 1862. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington : I have the honor to inclose herewith a map of Corinth and vicinity. Destitute of engineers or topographicai engineers, groping our way through an unknown wooded and hostile country, we have been obliged to resort to every possible device to obtain and diffuse information among commanders of troops. Having 09 copyisis, when we get a map we have to resort to an improvised photographer, who, taking likenesses. was required to provide himself with the means of copying maps as the tax for the privilege of staying in camp. Inclosed I send you two specimens of nis handiwork of this place and vicinity. Very truly, yours, W. 8S. ROSECRANS, Major-General.

CORINTH, October 22, 1862. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLEOE:

My DEAR GENERAL: I thank you for the kind expressions of confi. dence contained in your letter replying to mine.

My orders to report for duty to Major-General Wright still stand good.* He says, in a reply to a note I wrote him about the date of my last to you, that he feels fully the weight of my reasons for asking if any arrangements could be made whereby I should not fall under the command of the major-generals of Buell’s division, even including General Granger, and will consent to any arrangement that will do away with the difficulties.

Since then we had the stirring times here, and I think it probable will have more of the same, since Bragg has gone over the mountains, – and the rivers are low and the roads good; but I am very sorry to say that ever since the battle of Iuka there has been at work the spirit of mischief among the mousing politicians on Grant’s staff to get up iv his

_— “Of September 17, 1862.

mind a feeling of jealousy. They have at last so far succeeded that General Grant last evening telegraphed me that he thought certain leaky members of my staff and newspaper correspondents justified his insinuating that he thought I was getting up a spirit of division and trying to make my army appear independent of him. I dispatched, declaring that he had not had a truer friend or more loyal subordinate than myself; that no such sentiment existed or had been countenanced at these headquarters as the one he alluded to; that no headquarters in these United States were less responsible for the sayings of newspaper writers and correspondents than mine, and that I wished it to be distinctly understood that this remark was especially applicable to what had been said about the affairs of Iuka and Corinth. After these declarations I said, “Tf you do not meet me with the frank avowal that you are satisfied, I shall consider that my ability to be useful in this department has ended.” That now is my opinion.

I am bending everything to complete the new defenses of Corinth so that we may hold it by a division against a very superior force. As soon as I finish this work and my report of the late battle and pursuit I shall hope for something that will settle this matter. I am sure those politicians will manage matters with the sole view of preventing Grant from being in the background of military operations. This will make him sour andreticent. I shall become uncommunicative, and that, added to a conviction that he lacks administrative ability, will complete the reasons why I should be relieved from duty here, if I can be assigned to any other suitable duty where such obstacles do not operate.

I forbear speaking of points in the operations here. You will see in my report of the battle of Iuka that I have observed the same thing. But I must close this personal letter, wishing you were here to command.

Yours, truly, W. S. ROSECRANS, Major-General.

CoRINTH, MIss., October 22, 1862—7 p. m. Hon. P. H. WATSON:

Third Michigan Cavalry requires 690 revolvers, 294 Colt’s revolving rifles ; Fifth Ohio Cavalry, 88 revolvers, 170 Sharps’ carbines; Second Iowa, 30 revolving rifles ; Seventh Kansas, 250 revolvers, 500 Colt’s revolving rifles; Company A, Second U. S. Cavalry, 60 revolvers, 60 carbines—all with slings, pistol-pouches, cap-boxes, and ammunition complete. W. S. ROSECRANS, Major-General.

MEMPHIS, October 22, 1862. Miss P. A. FRASER, Memphis:

DEAR Lavy: Your petition is received. I will allow fifteen days for the parties interested to send to Holly Springs and Little Rock to ascertain if firing on unarmed boats is to form a part of the warfare against the Government of the United States.

Tf from silence or a positive answer from their commanders I am led to believe such fiendish acts are to be tolerated or allowed it would be weakness and foolish in me to listen to appeals to feelings that are

scorned by our enemies. They must know and feel that not only will we meet them in arms, but that their people shall experience their full measure of the necessary consequences of such barbarity.

The Confederate generals claim the Partisan Rangers as a part of their army. They cannot then disavow their acts, but all their adherents must suffer the penalty. They shall not live with us in peace. God himself has obliterated whole races from the face of the earth for sins less heinous than such as characterized the attacks on the Catahoula and Gladiator. All I say is if such acts were done by the direct or implied concert of the Confederate authorities we are not going to chase through the canebrakes and swamps the individuals who did the deeds, but will visit punishment upon the adherents of that cause which employs such agents. We will insist on a positive separation ; they cannot live with us. Further than that I have not yet ordered, and when the time comes to settle the account we will see which is most cruel—for your partisans to fire cannon and musket-balls through steamboats with women and children on board, set them on fire with women and children sleeping in their berths, and shoot down the passengers and engineers, with the curses of hell on their tongues, or for us to say the families of men engaged in such hellish deeds shall not live in peace where the flag of the United States floats.

I know you will say these poor women and children abhor such acts as much as I do, and that their husbands and brothers in the Confederate service also would not be concerned in such acts. Then let the Confederate authorities say so, and not employ their tools in such deeds of blood and darkness. We will now wait and see who are the cruel and heartless men of this war. We will see whether the firing ou the Catahoula or Gladiator is sanctioned or disapproved, and if it was done by the positive command of men commissioned by the Confederate Government, you will then appreciate how rapidly civil war corrupts the best feelings of the human heart.

Would to God ladies better acted their mission on earth; that instead of inflaming the minds of their husbands and brothers to lift their hands against the Government of their birth and stain them in blood, had prayed them to forbear, to exhaust all the remedies afforded them by our glorious Constitution, and thereby avoid “horrid war,” the last remedy on earth.

Your appeals to me shall ever receive respectful attention, but it will be vain in this case if General Holmes does not promptly disavow these acts, for I will not permit the families and adherents of secessionists to live here in peace whilst their husbands and brothers are aiming the rifle and gun at our families on the free Mississippi.

Your friend, W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS, . Memphis, Tenn., October 22, 1862. General GRANT:

DEAR GENERAL: A merchant of undoubted character is just in from Holly Springs, which he left yesterday at 10 a.m. He brought many letters from the var ous officers to Saint Louis and California, some of which were examined. Price is there with all the Missourians, many of whom are known to us personally. Van Dorn and Lovell are ordered to Richmond. No other divisions or brigades have joined them since

Omar. X XIX.) CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.—UNION. 289

the battle of Corinth, but they claim that they have received 10,000 men from various quarters. Blythe has about 700 cavalry on the Hernando road and line of Coldwater. Jackson has 4,500 cavalry at my old camp on Coldwater, near Holly Springs. The infantry is camped all about the town, and all seem ‘to be in hig spirits. Pemberton is now in command.

On balancing all accounts received I don’t think they can attack, but will await attack. They may occupy Davis’ Mill; but if you advance, La Grange is the point. The aggregate force at Holly Springs I should judge to be about 23,000 all told. Cavalry now in good order; infantry only so so; clothing poor and scarce of blankets and shoes; plenty of corn-meal and beef; all else scarce. The letters claim that Bragg whipped Buell, taking 17,000 prisoners.

No firing on our boats since the Gladiator, and I think we should not hesitate to make the country feel the full effects of all such attempts. I am just going to review two of my brigades, which are in fine order.

ata W. T. SHERMAN Major-General, Commanding.