William T. Sherman to Stephen A. Hurlbut, June 15, 1862

Brig. Gen. STEPHEN A. HURLBUT, Oommanding Fourth Division, Grand Junction :

Sie: The chief purpose of our being here is to cover the reconstruction of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, so as to open up communication from Corinth by way of Jackson, Grand Junction, &c., to Memphis. To this end I have called on the planters here for a force to repair two pieces of trestle-work destroyed here, and to-morrow General Denver will move forward to Moscow to commence the repairs there, and in anticipation of your arrival at Grand Junction I instructed Mr. Smith, an extensive planter there, to call upon his neighbors for a force adequate to repair the road up till he meets a party coming down.

I have already had a messenger at Bolivar, who reports two regiments of Lew. Wallace’s command there under command of Colonel Sanderson, but his information about the railroad and telegraph repairs is so scant that I wish you would send up another party on that especial business and to urge forward telegraph as rapidly as possible. I look to you to picket strongly the Ripley road to the southeast and the Holly Springs road at Davis’ Mill; also at once open a direct road from your camp to La Grange, if there be not already one.

By order of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman: