Unknown to Henry W. Halleck, January 8, 1862

Cairo, January 8, 1862.

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Saint Louis, Mo.:

Your instruetions of the 6th were received this morning and immediate preparations made for carrying them out.” Commodore Foote will be able to co-operate here with three gunboats. Two others will go up the Tennessee, with a transport accompanying, having on board a battalion of infantry and one section of artillery. General C. F. Smith will move upon Mayfield, and the cavalry from here and probably two regiments of infantry will effect a junction with him there. From this point I have instructed General Smith to threaten Camp Beauregard and Murray, but in such a way as to make it appear that the latter and probably Dover

Fort Donelson] are the points in the greatest danger. General Smith 1s informed that re-enforcements are to arrive from Saint Louis, and that I will oceupy the ground from Fort Jefferson to Blandville, and cut off all probability of an attempt to get on his flank or in his rear from

Columbus. The continuous rains for the last week or more have ren- –

dered the roads extremely bad, and will necessarily make our movement slow. This, however, will operate worse ron the enemy, if he should come out to meet us, than upon us.

I will probably send two steamers to a point below Island No. 1, where there is a better road leading directly to Columbus, and one leading into the baek country, intersecting other roads leading to the same place. The troops on these steamers will be fully protected by the gunboats, and will not go far from their transports.

I have not prepared instructions for the troops moving from this place, as I will be along and may have to vary from any plan that eould now be drawn up. This movement will be commenced to-morrow, and every effort made to carry out your design.