adopt the suggestions madey by my superiors and have withdrawn my resignation.

Very truly and gratefully, your friend,

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.

[24.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS, Numbers 21.
Lexington, Ky., August 11, 1863.

I. Colonel C. J. Walker, Tenth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, is hereby relieved from duty as chief of cavalry of this corps.

II. Colonel A. V. Kautz, Second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, is appointed a member of the staff of the Twenty-third Army Corps and announced as chief of cavalry. He will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

By command of Major-General Hartsuff:

GEO. B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[30.]

McMINNVILLE, August 11, 1863.

Major SINCLAIR,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Of course I whipped Dibrell. His men were scattered about the country like blackberries. Most of them took the road to yankeetown. A few fled by Officer's Gap. The fight was on the bank of Calf River, from the salt well to a short distance above Little's. They were driven so sharply that none but the Fourth Michigan got at them. My force was 774; Dibrell's, 781. I remained on the ground until 1 p. m., and scoured the country around. I think it doubtful if they return to Sparta. Dibrell is a brigadier and Forestg a major-general. Have eight days' forage on hand. Have heard nothing of General Carter. Forrest is at Good Hope, near Kingston. Mechure [sic] was to leave Nashville with 400 this morning. Captain Thompson, Fourth United States, has joined.

ROBT. H. G. MINTY,

Colonel, Commanding.

[30.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION,

Washington, August 12, 1863.

Major-General McCLERNAND:

MY DEAR SIR: Our friend William G. Greene has just presented a king letter in regard to yourself, addressed to me by our other friends, Yates, Hatch, and Dubois.*

I doubt whether your present position is more painful to nyou than to myself. Grateful for the patriotic stand so early taken by you in this life-and-death struggle of the nation, I have done whatever has appeared practicable to advance you and the public interest together. No charges with a view to a trail have been preferred against you by any one, nor do I suppose any will be. All there is, so far as I have heard, is General Grant's statement of his reasons for relieving you. And even this I have not seen or sought to see, because it is a case, as appears to me, in which I could do nothing without doing harm. General Grant and

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*See August 6, p. 431.

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