WASHINGTON, June 5,
1862.
Major-General HALLECK, Corinth:
I have a dispatch from Colonel Ellet, commander of the ram
fleet at Fort Pillow, dated at that place yesterday. He informs me that he has
been there a considerable time, and has made repeated applications to Captain
Davis, commander of the gunboats, for leave to attack the enemy's fleet, but
has been uniformly refused. Captain Davis not only refuses to join Mr. Ellet or
give him the protection of a single gunboat, but also refuses to allow Ellet to
attack on his own hook, nor will he allow any of his force to volunteer with
Ellet. I regret the President would not place the fleet under your command.
Ellet, however, made one demonstration, but the rebels slipped anchor and
escaped. He says the strength of the rebel batteries is greatly overrated. He
declares his intention to go on without the gunboats.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
10, Part 2 (Serial No. 11), p. 262
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