Today in History:

154 Series I Volume XVII-II Serial 25 - Corinth Part II

Page 154 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Chapter XXIX.

ROSECRANS' HEADQUARTERS,

Near Corinth, Miss., August 6, 1862-9 a.m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Thanks. Please give our cavalry repeating rifles. It will double its force for experience has shown that repeaters would double the power of an infantry regiment. A simple calculation will show what the peculiar economy of this would be to our army. Five hundred thousand dollars per day is a very fair interest on the difference between the price of repeating and common fire-arms. The calculation is simple, but the data are undoubted by practical men. Am told that some repeating rifles, bought for Berdan's Sharpshooters, are left at the Washington Arsenal.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Brigadier-General.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
August 6, 1862.

Colonel J. K. MIZNER, Tuscumbia:

Your orders to cover the railroad line indicated points of station as recommended by General Thomas, but you were informed that it was not designed to restrict you to the occupancy of those stations or to the forces indicated; on the contrary the general commanding explained to you that he was desirous that you should avoid the distribution of your troops into small detachments; that you should if possible endeavor to cover the road by massing them and striking the enemy in force. You will report to what extent you have carried out these instructions and what are the obstacles. General Morgan reports 400 rebel cavalry at Russellville and 200 at Frankfort. Why can they not be cut off?

By order:

W. L. ELLIOTT,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
August 6, 1862.

General MORGAN, Tuscumbia:

You will seize all cotton in the name of United States Government; give receipts of division quartermasters to the owners or claimants, specifying the dates, of quantity taken; invoice the same by the most expeditions means; write in duplicate to United States quartermaster, Cairo, III., sending a triplicate to these headquarters. Whenever bridges or other damage to the railroad requires repair, the negroes of the neighborhood or others with secession proclivities will be taken for the purpose and returned when no longer required; slaves of persons hostile to the Government to be taken in preference. Notify the inhabitants within reach of your lines that any words or actions hostile to the Government will oblige you to treat the parties as enemies, who can receive only the rights of belligerents, whose property belongs to the United States. The women and children will be ordered beyond our lines, their property seized for the benefit of the United States, and their houses burned.


Page 154 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Chapter XXIX.