HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Murfreesborough, Tenn., April 26, 1863.

Major General H. W. HALLECK.

Commander-in-Chief, Washington:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 20th instant is received.

If I have used the telegraph freely it has been through an anxious desire to do my duty, and to insure that by no fault of mine should things go unattended to, which my experience has shown may be the case even with the most able and zealous officers, without reminders.

That I am very careful to inform the Department of my successes and of all captures from the enemy is not true, as the records of out office will show. That I have failed to inform the Government of my defeats and losses is equally untrue, both in letter and spirit. I regard the statement of these two propositions by the War Department as a profound, grievous, cruel, and ungenerous official and personal wrong. If there is any one thing I despise and scorn it is an officer's blowing his own trumpet, or getting others to do it for him. I had flattered myself that no general officer in the service had a cleaner record on this point than I have. I shall here drop the subject, leaving to time and Providence the vindication of my conduct, and expect justice kindness, and consideration only from those who are willing to accord them.

Accept for yourself, personally, my cordial thanks for your kindness, both personal and official.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General, Commanding.

CINCINNATI, April 26, 1863.

Hon. E. M. STANTON:

In commencing the work in this department, I have designated new chiefs of the quartermaster's and medical departments, without reference to their rank. Both General Meigs and Surgeon-General Hammond take exception to this action. I sincerely hope that I will be allowed to keep men of my choice as chiefs of departments. It is a well-established principle that they need not necessarily be ranking officers in the department. They simply convey the orders of the commanding general. I have suffered, in one famous instance, from not making such change of officers as I thought ought to be made. The work here is difficult and I should have men about me that I am thoroughly acquainted with.

A. E. BURNSIDE.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, April 26, 1863-11.45 p.m.

Brigadier General O. B. WILLCOX, Lexington, Ky.:

The following dispatch from General Boyle is sent to you for the information of General Carter. It should be sent to him at once:

General BURNSIDE:

General Hobson telegraphs from Munfordville that Colonel Graham was at Tompkinsville last night. His scouts were near Burkesville. Scouts report Pegram, with his force, between Burkesville and Albany. Scouting party were near Gainesborough; captured 16 of Morgan's and Hamilton's men. Hamilton's and Johnson's forces are in the vicinity of Celina. Wheeler and Morgan are reported near Gainesborough, with