KNOXVILLE, October 22, 1863.

(Received 24th.)

Major-General GRANT:

The following dispatch was sent to General Halleck last night:

Your dispatch (21st) received. All portions of this command have been kept in readiness to move at a moment's notice ever since our arrival, and in fact have kept on moving nearly all the time. Our last move up the country was made with a view to discovering the enemy above the Virginia line and showing him that we were ready to meet any force that he might send against us in that direction, and possibly creating a diversion in favor of Meade's army. Had I felt that Rosecrans' army was perfectly secured, I should have pushed the movement farther with a view to the destruction of the salt-works, but my instructions and Rosecrans' call for assistance forbid. I will communicate fully with General Grant and hope to be able to successfully meet any emergency that may arise. The enemy attacked our cavalry under Colonel Wolford yesterday at Philadelphia, driving them back upon Loudon, capturing six mountain howitzers and a portion of the wagon train and camp equipage. To-day we have driven them back beyond Philadelphia. It is reported that the attacking column is composed of infantry, artillery, and cavalry, under command of Buckner, but I am disinclined to believe it. We are ready, however, to make a good defense.

Loudon has been pretty well fortified and has been considerably re-enforced. I hope to report more definitely tomorrow the nature of the attacking force. The indications now are that the enemy is advancing in considerable force on to Loudon, and it is also reported that they are crossing between Post Oak Springs and Cottonport. This last report is not well defined.

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tennessee, October 22, 1863.

Brigadier General ROBERT ALLEN,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

Sherman has just telegraphed that there is 8 feet of water on shoals in Tennessee River. Send him a good ferry-boat as soon as possible. Wheeler's cavalry are at Decatur and Florence, 8,000 strong.

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, October 22, 1863.

(Received 12.45 p. m., 27th.)

Major-General HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

General Sherman telegraphs that Wheeler's cavalry is on the south side of the Tennessee, and cut off by high water from Bragg. He urgently asks for a steam ferry-boat. A pretty heavy force is opposing his advance. Osterhaus had a pretty severe fight yesterday, losing 8 killed and 20 wounded. Colonel Torrence, Thirtieth Iowa, is killed. Dodge telegraphs from Corinth that Pickett went to Grenada to check McPherson's movement from Vicksburg. Few troops on Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Davis reviewed Bragg's troops on the 11th and 12th, and has gone back to Richmond. Chalmers is south of Tallahatchie, recruiting for another move on railroad.

S. A. HURLBUT,

Major-General.

(Same to Grant.)