many horses. When I left Memphis Grierson had full 5,000 horses. Not one has been drawn away, and I want to know what has become of them.

Truly, your friend,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Nashville, Tenn., April 24, 1864.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF OHIO,

Columbus:

General McPherson tells me that the furloughs of the Twentieth, Sixty-eighth, and Seventy-eighth Ohio will not expire till May 6, owing to a delay occurring before they got their furloughs in the State. It is all-important that they should reach their command at as early a date as possible. If they could be got ready by May 1, I would order them transported all the way by cars via Nashville.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

CONFIDENTIAL.] HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

Nashville, Tenn., April 24, 1864.

Brigadier General A. J. SMITH,

Commanding Detachment on Red River:

DEAR GENERAL: General Corse has returned. He brought no letter from you but gave good accounts of you and your troops. I had hoped, from the rapid work you did up to Alexandria, that the whole expedition would go on in like manner. I want your command, but of course you could not leave under the circumstances by which you were surrounded on the 14th of April. General Corse says that in the second day's fight at Pleasant Hill the enemy were beaten and were retreating. I cannot understand why our army retreated its steps to Grand Ecore, when it was so important in time, in distance, more especially as Steele was known to be approaching from the north. But all will be explained in time. I have simply ordered that when you do come out of Red River, that Mower's division remain at Memphis, and yours come round by Cairo, and up the Tennessee to Clifton, and thence across to Decatur; but as time and circumstances may change, I will have orders meet you at Memphis. General McPherson now commands the department, and all our attention is engaged in the awful responsibilities that rest on us here. General Grant has ordered that Steele command on Red River, and he must order things according to the result of your expedition. I was in hopes it would have been made more rapidly, so that those troops could have taken part with us in the events soon to transpire.

You will, as soon as you can possibly be spared, come to Memphis, where orders will meet you.

I am, with respect, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.