HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT
OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Saint Louis, March 16,
1862.
Major-General BUELL, Nashville:
Move your forces by land to the Tennessee as rapidly as
possible. Our troops have destroyed the railroad at Purdy, but find the enemy
in strong force at Eastport and Corinth, reported 60,000. Grant's army is
concentrating at Savannah. You must direct your march on that point, so that
the enemy cannot get between us. He still holds on to Island No. 10. We
bombarded him yesterday and renew it again today. The detention of your boats
at Paducah is without my orders. It will not be repeated.
H. W. HALLECK,
Major-General.
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. 42
