point, I shall, if Mackall arrives here before you do, assign him to the command of a brigade of five or six regiments, four of which are at Murfreesborough. I received this morning a telegram from Slaughter, dated at Jackson yesterday, saying it was reported the enemy was evacuating Corinth, Bolivar, and Jackson. If so, I am afraid they are making their way to Nashville. I have taken steps to obtain the earliest information of their movements in that direction. I send with this a copy* of a report received this evening from Colonel Howard at Jamestown. If you can spare any of your cavalry would it not be well to move them through Whitley and Wayne Counties in Kentucky, and Campbell, Scott, Fentress, and Morgan in Tennessee, to Middle Tennessee. If they can procure forage on that route it will be desirable, for it is not abundant here, and they might on the march quiet some of the disloyal people of those counties. I send with this a copy of a telegram just received form General Cooper. Please communicate it to General Leadbetter. Governor Shorter telegraphs me this morning that Mobile and Pollard are seriously threatened with attack and asked me to send him 4,000 or 5,000 troops. I am sorry I could not comply with his request.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

RICHMOND, VA., October 19, 1862.

General SAMUEL JONES, Knoxville, Tenn.:

Send orders to Brigadier-General Leadbetter, wherever he may be, to repair immediately to Mobile, and report as chief engineer for the troops and works in that harbor. The case is urgent and requires dispatch.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, Tenn., October 19, 1862.

OFFICER COMMANDING COLUMBUS, MISS.:

Colonel Tyler and Captain Beauchamp have been ordered by General Bragg to procure for his army shoes, blankets, tents, and clothing wherever they could be found. If is of the utmost importance that these supplies should be procured immediately. I have no urge that you deliver to these gentleman or either of them any of the above mentioned supplies you may have, and give them every facility to get them through to Chattanooga without delay.

Respectfully, &c.,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, Tenn., October 19, 1862.

Brigadier-General FORREST, Murfreesborough, Tenn.:

It is reported the enemy is evacuating Corinth, Bolivar, and Jackson. I presume they are going to Nashville. Keep a sharp lookout on your

* See October 10-22, 1862. Pursuit of Confederate forces from Perryville to London, Ky., Part I, p.1143.