the morning to inspect and hurry up the defenses at Corinth. My absence will depend on circumstances. My headquarters will remain here until further notice. I desire meanwhile you would communicate to me by telegraph anything of importance which may occur in your front, for my information and that of the War Department.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE WEST,
Tuscumbia, Ala., November 15, 1864.

General J. B. HOOD,

Commanding, & c., Florence, Ala.:

GENERAL: As you seemed yesterday to have misunderstood my verbal communication of the 13th instant through my chief of staff, I deem it of sufficient importance to communicate in writing what I had instructed him to say relative to the movement of the Army of Tennessee. I instructed him to tell you "that in consequence of the information received the night previous, to wit, the apparent confirmation of the concentration of the bulk of Sherman's army in Middle Tennessee - at Pulaski, Huntsville, and Decatur - the arrival of Canby and part of his forces at Memphis, and the condition of Cobb's and Smith's forces at Lovejoy's Station, I desired to confer further with you before you commenced the projected movement into Middle Tennessee, then partly in process of execution - that is, Lee's corps already in advance of Florence, and Cheatham's and Stewart's corps under orders to cross the river." My purpose was to call again your attention, as I did yesterday:

First. To the necessity of guarding well your right flank and rear in advancing toward Lawrenceburg and Pulaski against a sudden offensive movement of the enemy from Huntsville or Athens across the Elk River.

Second. To securing against the passage of the enemy's gun-boats another point - about Savannah or Clifton - besides Florence, for the army to recross the Tennessee in the event of disaster.

Third. To giving still greater protection to Corinth and the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to that point.

I was aware that those points had already been discussed between us, but my anxiety for the safety of the troops under your command made it incumbent on me to call again your attention to those important matters. I wish also to inform you that the third point mentioned may require greater time than was at first supposed necessary. All orders for completing the defenses of Corinth, repairing and prosecuting vigorously the work on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad to this place, and for repairing the Mobile and Ohio Railroad from Okolona to Bethel, have been given and are being carried out as rapidly as the limited means of the engineer and quartermaster departments will permit. It is at present reported that the railroads referred to will be completed in from fifteen to twenty days, but it is reasonable to suppose that the prevailing unfavorable weather will delay the work one or two weeks longer. General Taylor and myself will always be anxious to aid you in your present campaign with all the means at our control, but these being limited, ample previous notice of what may be required should be given, to enable us to make all necessary preparations. It will also give me pleasure to confer on