BRIDGEPORT, November 16, 1863-8 p.m.

General SHERMAN:

The guide reports the route proposed impracticable for artillery and proposes to go to Trenton. Your dispatch received early this morning directs me to wait until you arrive here before marching.

EWING,

Brigadier-General.

CHATTANOOGA, November 16, 1863.

(Received 20th.)

Major-General HURLBUT,

Memphis:

Your dispatch addressed to General Grant, announcing the arrival of General Tuttle's division, is received.

The occupation of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad is no longer worth the troops it takes to guard it. You may use Tuttle's division to remove railroad, as ordered by General Grant.

If Corinth has not been stripped of its ordnance stores, have it done, and re-enforce Eastport by all of Tuttle's division not necessary to cover the removal of the iron.

Don't evacuate Corinth till I order it, but make preliminary arrangements to remove its garrison by land to Eastport, or, if you desire it, better by way of Hamburg.

I want Eastport strongly fortified and prepared as a point from which to act against Tuscumbia, Russellville, and Columbus, Miss. General Grant agrees with me in this, and before abandoning Corinth, we wish to consult General Halleck. I want a good general officer-A. J. Smith-in command up the Tennessee, and to have two of those marine-brigade boats subject to his order. I want this force to make frequent incursions right and left from the Tennessee.

All your mounted forces should be kept active at this season.

When General Webster is done with the railroad, I will put him on my staff.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS LEFT WING, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Pulaski, Tennessee, November 16, 1863.

Maj. R. M. SAWYER,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dept. and Army of the Tennessee:

MAJOR: As I telegraphed to General Sherman, I have made a thorough examination of the railroad from Columbia to Decatur; also of the different pikes and dirt roads leading to different parts of the State.

The commanding officer at Columbia informs me there are seven bridges north of that place besides Duck River bridge, and that some 150 men were at work on the small bridges south of Columbia to Lynnville; road in pretty good order; a few small trestles out. A bridge at Lynnville Station, over Robertson's Creek, partially destroyed; another bridge over this creek, 3 1/2 miles south of Lynnville Station, is partially gone. At Reynolds' Station, a bridge over Richland