[607]
General,—I proceeded on yesterday morning to the headquarters of General J. B. Hood, to deliver the letters of Major-Generals Cobb and Smith, and also your views in relation to the positions for pontoons and batteries on the river, and the movement of the army. On arriving at his headquarters I found that he had crossed the Tennessee, and I went in pursuit. On reaching the north bank of the river I met Major Mason, his A. A. G., and found that General Hood was out on the lines, and being apprehensive lest I might not find him, I handed your communications and expressed your views to him. When about returning I saw General Hood, and advised him of what I had done, and communicated to him your views and wishes, among which was, that in view of the information of the concentration of the enemy's force about Decatur, Huntsville, and Pulaski, and the reported movement of Canby to Memphis, you did not desire that he would make any offensive movement until you could see him, and asking when and where it would be most convenient for you to call on him. He replied that he did not contemplate any such movement just then; that he was moving Cheatham's corps to the north side of the river, where he designed throwing up works which might be held against any attack of the enemy, and that Stewart's corps would be moved to the position held by Cheatham that morning on the south side, where works would also be thrown up to protect the bridge. He concurred also in your view that it would be best to select points for the construction of batteries on the river as far down and as far from the railroad as practicable. I am, General, respectfully, your obedient servant,
General,—As you seemed yesterday to have misunderstood my verbal communication of the 13th inst., through my Chief of Staff, I deem it of sufficient importance to communicate in writing what I had instructed him to say relative to the movement of the Army of Tennessee. I instructed him to tell you that in consequence of the information received the night previous—to wit: the apparent confirmation of the concentration of the bulk of Sherman's army in Middle Tennessee (at Pulaski, Huntsville, and Decatur), the arrival of Canby and part of his forces at Memphis, and the condition of Cobb's and Smith's forces at Lovejoy's Station—I desired to confer further with you before you commenced the projected movement into Middle Tennessee, now partly in process of execution; that is, Lee's corps, already in advance of Florence, and Stewart's and Cheatham's corps under orders to cross the river. My purpose was to call again your attention, as I did yesterday, 1st. To the necessity of guarding well your left flank and rear, in advancing towards Lawrenceburg and Pulaski, against a sudden offensive movement of the enemy from Huntsville or Athens across the Elk River.
