Unknown to Henry W. Halleck, September 9, 1862

September 9, 1862—11 a. m.

Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief :

For two days now I have been advised of the advance of Price and Van Dorn on this place. I presume there is no doubt of the advance

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of a large force. One division will arrive from Memphis to Bolivar this evening or to-morrow, which will enable me to use all the force now at the latter place whenever required. Should the enemy come I will be as ready as possible with the means at hand. I do not believe that a force can be brought against us at present that cannot be successfully resisted. U. S. GRANT,

IuKA, September 9, 1862. Major-General GRANT:

Reports from the front show that it is probably four or five regiments of infantry, and that they are in their camp at Baldwyn with no particular sign of movement. I begin very strongly to suspect they are practicing a move on us and intend to cover up a movement on Buell’s right and rear via Bluntsville, Gunter’s Landing, Huntsville, &c. Is it possible they want to push themselves in a position to foil an attack on

Vicksburg ? W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier- General.

IuKA, September 9, 1862. Major-General GRANT:

A private of Thirty-ninth Ohio, captured while straggling from their camp, just returned from Tupelo, paroled, and with a pass to Bay Springs, dated Tupelo, September 6, signed Brigadier-General Cabell, says he was taken to Baldwyn, thence to Guntown, thence to Saltillo and Tupelo, where he saw General Price; heard two citizens tell him ‘‘Damned Yankees were coming close, burning, ravishing, and destroying.” Price advised them to go home, mind their own business, not shoot any one, as that only made matters worse; he would rectify matters in a week or two. He was told by soldiers he could not leave till after the fight. His remarks to the soldiers that he wanted to know how many engines we had on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, as he wished them all; that the soldiers could not leave till after the fight; then giving him a pass to go by himself to Bay Springs alone to Mann’s company of rebel cavalry; all combined induce me to believe the rebels are playing a game of bluff and are very weak, say 12,000 effectives.

HEADQUARTERS FirtH DIvIsion, Memphis, September 9, 1862. Maj. JoHN A. RAWLINS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Corinth :

Stk: I have just heard from General Hurlbut. His column was on Sunday, at 3 p. m., moving in good order near Union Depot, and would move toward Somerville and Bolivar, to a certain point designated in ie orders, aes he Bar turn eticeede to the north and move to Hatchie

rossing. e@ water is very low, and although all the brid broken he can easily ford the stream. ; re ee

I hear of Jackson’s and Falkner’s cavalry, with other fragments, amounting to about 3,000 men, in his route, but I do not think they will fight him. I think Jackson is waiting for a force from Abbeville, but I have sent Morgan L. Smith’s brigade with some cavalry and artillery to the southeast. That will prevent any movement north from that point. The cavalry scout in my last report was fully successful, and I send by this mail Colonel Grierson’s report.* I learn that the rebels are constructing a bridge over Coldwater on the Hernando road. To destroy this is a part of General Smith’s expedition.

I have just seen a notice in a newspaper that the battalion of the Thirteenth U. S. Infantry is at Cincinnati. That is not hardly fair. I detached one of my regiments to relieve this battalion by your order, with the distinct understanding that I was to receive in lieu this battalion, and it now seems I lose both. This is not fair, and I have written to General Wright to that effect. I hope you will do the same. He should either send the battalion at once or let me have the regiment back, viz, the Seventy-seventh Ohio. You know that I have not too large a garrison to hold Memphis and at the same time make offensive moves along the river and into the interior.

The Fifty-second Indiana Engineer Regiment, still attached to General Hurlbut’s division, is now on board the steamer Emelin, ordered to land at Fort Pillow, to open communication with General Hurlbut. I do not understand that this regiment is permanently detached from General Hurlbut, though at present operating under Colonel Bissell on the river.

All well here.

Iam, &e., W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.