Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862., Part II: Correspondence, Orders, and Returns.
Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Ed.

[593] of East Tennessee in the direction of Kingston, and the major-general commanding directs me to repeat that you will exercise the utmost vigilance in discovering their movements and intention, and caution in preventing any surprise of our forces at your post. He wishes you to send out as far as possible scouts who will observe the movements of the enemy. You will send such important information as you may receive to these headquarters, and also to Brigadier-General Barton, at Clinton. Colonel Allston has been directed to send such disposable force as he may be able to spare from Powell's Valley to Kingston. You will take every precaution to secure all the boats upon the river, and, if necessary to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy, you will effectually destroy them.

The steamer Lookout has been ordered from Chattanooga up to Kingston, with instructions to collect and destroy all the boats between these two places. When it arrives at Kingston you will send it to Loudon, from which point information of the fact will [be] telegraphed to these headquarters. A detachment of 6 men will leave to-day for Loudon, from which point they will act as couriers to Kingston. You will telegraph important information from Loudon.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: Intelligence of a movement by the enemy upon Chattanooga has just been received at these headquarters. It is considered certain that a column of twelve regiments and artillery moved from Winchester in the direction of that place on Wednesday last [June 4] and another column with artillery is also moving up from Jasper. To supply the place of these troops others have been sent up from Corinth.

In communicating to you this information the major-general commanding directs me to say that this movement may result in the fall of Chattanooga and the evacuation of East Tennessee by our forces, and he wishes you quietly and without excitement to direct the removal from Clinton to the terminus of the Kentucky Railroad of all sick soldiers and unarmed effective troops, and of all military stores not absolutely required by the troops remaining there and by Brigadier-General Barton's command, just ordered to proceed to Clinton. You will, of course, keep this communication strictly to yourself.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Send a steamer up the river, with orders to burn or otherwise destroy all the boats below Kingston.