Sept 25 1862. I sent Gen. Halleck a telegram informing him I was leaving for St. Louis.
I do not hear a word from Buell’s army. Price was defeated from going east of the Tennessee, but I understand that Breckinridge has gone by way of Mobile and Chattanooga. The rebels came up to within 8 miles of Bolivar, but finding the place so strongly re-enforced fell back to Davis’ Mill first, and finding our cavalry in such hot pursuit left there for farther south in great haste. I wrote from Jackson the object of my coming to Saint Louis. Will leave in the morning.
U. S. GRANT,
Major-General.
After arriving in St. Louis, I received the following telegrams from Gen. Hurlbut,
Major General U. S. GRANT, Corinth, Miss.:
A negro just in from near Grand Junction reports hearing his master say that the enemy have received heavy re-enforcements from Holly Springs and other points in Mississippi, and will move this morning to cut the railroad between Corinth and this place and then attack here. He has evidently heard this. The information is vague as to the proposed point of attack on the road, but the probabilities look toward some point east of Jackson.
There were 300 irregular cavalry in Somerville yesterday.
[S. A. HURLBUT,]
Brigadier-General.
HEADQUARTERS, Bolivar, September 25, 1862.
Major-General GRANT:
A large body of cavalry, estimated by the citizens at 2,000 (probably 1,000), passed to-day by Anderson’s Mill east, inquiring for Simpson’s Ferry, on the Hatchie, half way between Van Buren and here. The force was followed up by my cavalry patrol, who agree that it is a large body of men. I am of the opinion an attack is designed on the railroad, and, if they have taken the direction designated, somewhere in the neighborhood of Bethel or perhaps Purdy. They had four days’ rations.
S. A. HURLBUT,
Brigadier-General.
I sent word to Gen. Ord to be prepared to provide Gen. Hurlbut with aid.
Major General E. O. C. ORD:
General Hurlbut telegraphs me that rebels are strongly re-enforced and threaten him. Watch in that direction, and, if necessary, re-enforce him all you can. Communicate with General Rosecrans also.
U. S. GRANT,
Major-General.
The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 6, p 87-88
O.R., I, xvii, part 2, p 238-39