WASHINGTON, January 8, 1863.

Major-General WRIGHT:

Send Ewing's brigade down the Mississippi, reporting to General Grant at Memphis.

H. W. HALLECK.

MURFREESBOROUGH, January 8, 1863-10 p. m.

Major-General WRIGHT, Cincinnati, Ohio:

Your dispatch received. I would like you to hold the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and to send me down all those Kentucky regiments whom I sent up to recruit; also, if the Governor will replace the cavalry, I should like to have every spare man sent down at once to cross the country toward Burkesville. Infantry re-enforcements will be needed as our line extends, and anything you can spare will be well placed here. I will give you details soon.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS LEFT WING, January 9, 1863.

Brigadier-General PALMER,
Commanding Second Division:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs that you occupy Readyville with a brigade and a battery.* General Stanley is directed to send a battalion of cavalry to that point, to keep open communication. Let the detachment start promptly at 8 o'clock to-morrow morning.

By command of Major-General Crittenden:

LYNE STARLING,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS, Camp near Peach Orchard, January 9, 1863.

Major-General WRIGHT:

GENERAL: A scout of 40 men sent to Pike County has just returned, reporting but few rebels in that county, or rather the Upper Sandy country. They had a little skirmish with a few, killing 2, wounding 1, and getting 1 prisoner belonging to guerrilla parties, all bad men. The nearest rebel force is Whitesburg, Letcher County, 12 miles from Pound Gap; about 300 there. We are anxious to get after them and make a strike at the railroad, as I have reliable information that there is not more than 600 men at Abingdon, under H. Marshall, to guard the salt works; all the balance forces called off; but we can't move until we are mustered in, and we want good guns; hope we will see all ere long, so we can again try our hand.

Your obedient servant,
JOHN DILS, Jr.,

Colonel Thirty-ninth Kentucky Regiment.

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*Hazen's brigade and Cockerill's battery so ordered.

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