CINCINNATI, May 7, 1863.

General ROSECRANS:

I cannot fully agree with your opinion concerning the best position of my Ninth Corps. In respect to your proposed movement, I propose to move it to Jamestown Church, and to concentrate Hartsuff’s corps in the vicinity of Glasgow, with a strong detachment at Tompkinsville. This will, I think, enable you to relieve all the force you could by the other movement, will protect your communication, and permit me to carry out at the first favorable moment my original design on East Tennessee. How does the proposition suit you?

A.E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.

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HEADQUARTERS,

Cincinnati, May 7, 1863.

General ROSECRANS, Murfreesborough:

I mean Jamestown, Tenn. The reasons for this move are these: That force  could be moved either to Knoxville or assist your left either at McMinnville or Sparta, while Hartsuff’s corps can be concentrated at Glasgow or Tompkinsville, or possibly at Scottsville, instead of Glasgow. My last dispatch was worded more positive than I intended, in reference to my disagreement with your plan to move the Ninth Corps to Glasgow. My disposition is to do you the most service possible, and simply make this as a suggestion. Please answer fully. I will add that there is a very heavy pressure in favor of a movement on Knoxville.

A.E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.

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LEXINGTON, May 7, 1863.

GENERAL: The following just received:

WAITSBOROUGH, May 6 — 8.10 p.m.

It is with much regret that I have to report the loss of nearly 30 of the Twenty-seventh New Jersey this p.m., by the upsetting of a ferry-boat while crossing the river. The accident occurred before I reached the river. The infantry, battery, ambulances, and a part of a train are now on the north side. Cavalry will cross to-morrow. River is pretty full and rising. It is rising fast. Expect to send a boat in the morning to Greasy Creek for Colonel Jacob.

CARTER.

O.B. WILLCOX,

Brigadier-General.

Maj. Gen. AMBROSE E. BURNSIDE.

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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,

Knoxville, May 7, 1863.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War:

MY DEAR SIR: I received with much pleasure your letter of instructions respecting my conduct of certain affairs at Mobile. I shall endeavor to be guided by them.

General Buckner has not yet arrived, and, as I have been in the department long enough to receive impressions and to form opinions, I venture to submit to your consideration some matters which seem to call very strongly for a change of policy. Prominent amongst these is the disloyal element of this region and its treatment. So far as I can see, a merciless partisan warfare has been waged against these tories, and men who might have been made our friends or have been rendered quiet citizens, have been goaded into active hostility against us. A generation cannot now suffice to allay this animosity; but we can, at least, abate its activity, and, as I perceive that all Tennesseans serving here, whether officers or men, are bitter partisans in this civil war, I recommend that no Tennessee troops nor Tennessee commanders be sent here, and that, whenever occasion serves, those now here shall be exchanged for troops who cannot be parties to the intestine war.

I am convinced that formidable preparation has been made to occupy this department. It is a hard territory to defend, being a mere frontier, with a railroad line of 200 miles or more in extent, parallel to which is the enemy’s line of occupation, from which by many routes he can assail us, and, as the whole course of the railroad is in a disaffected country, our ability to use it is uncertain. At present there are but about 4,000 or 5,000 infantry available for movement upon any threatened point, and, therefore, it is essential for the security of the territory that a considerable increase of the infantry force should be made at once.

The reports are daily increasing of movements of Burnside’s forces, indicating an early invasion. He may await the result of the conflict impending between Generals Bragg and Rosecrans, or even the coming of harvest, before he makes his decided movement; but I believe it will be wise to re-enforce this army at the earliest possible day.

General Buckner will be here day after to-morrow, when, after explaining to him the condition of affairs, I will proceed to Mobile. I am the more anxious to get there because of the recent invasions of the interior of the Southern States, which may be the precursor of a more critical movement against our strong points.

I feel no little relief at the change which you have made in my command. General Buckner is the man of all others in the Confederacy who should be here, and, while I do not know that I am peculiarly suited to the command he has been occupying, I shall enter upon its duties with more satisfaction than I feel here, because there is but one enemy to fight there, and he is outside.

It has been my ardent wish to command Virginia troops, on Virginia soil, in this struggle — to be a part, for even a little while, of that noble army which has again, at Fredericksburg, won a great victory and upheld the honor of Virginia. But I am very grateful to you, sir, for what you have done for me, and I am content to serve the Confederacy wherever I can best serve her, and to wait on her interests and rely on your kindness for the gratification of any personal preferences.

I have seen it stated in the papers that Mr. Roy Mason, my father-in-law, has been carried from his home a prisoner. Cannot his exchange be now effected by means of the prisoners taken by General Lee?

With sincere regard, yours, truly,

DABNEY H. MAURY.

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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,

Knoxville, May 7, 1863.

Brig. Gen. ARCH. GRACIE, JR., Commanding, &C., Bean’s Station:

GENERAL: Written orders were sent on yesterday for Hart’s cavalry to report to General Pegram. You were telegraphed last night to move your infantry to Morristown, and hurry up Hart’s cavalry to Clinton. The latter orders were given in consequence of Chenault’s and Pegram’s cavalry being forced back by the Yankee cavalry from Monticello and Albany. Please hurry forward Hart to Clinton, where he will receive instructions from General Pegram. The major-general commanding directs that you will order a regiment of infantry to Knoxville at once.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D.W. FLOWERREE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,

Dublin, May 7, 1863.

Maj. Gen. DABNEY H. MAURY, Comdg., &c., Knoxville, Tenn.:

GENERAL: I have just now received your letter of the 4th instant.

I am glad you have sent General Trigg to command Marshall’s men, in the absence of the latter; and it is important to me and to further our co-operation that I should have early information of the movements of the enemy in Eastern Kentucky, I wish you would instruct Colonel Trigg to communicate with me fully, and give me the earliest news of any advance of the enemy toward my left.

When Burnside’s movements are sufficiently pronounced to enable us to determine by what route he is coming, I may be able to aid you as you suggest — that is, by so disposing my troops along the railroad as to enable you to withdraw Brigadier-General Jackson’s troops. The line from Bristol to Greeneville, however, is a very long one to be guarded by so small a force as I can send. I wish you would designate the particular points that it is most important to guard on that line.

From what you tell me of Burnside’s movements, I think, if he proposes to penetrate into East Tennessee, he will come by Jamestown and Montgomery, with a cavalry force by Jacksborough and Clinton. From the best information I can obtain, the country over which his cavalry will probably pass can be best defended by infantry. Good infantry, well handled, ought to hold some of those mountain passes against four or five times their numbers of Yankee cavalry. An infantry battalion of mine was attacked early the morning of the 2d instant by nearly three times their number of cavalry, in a comparatively open country, a mile or so west of Lewisburg, and my men repulsed the enemy, inflicting a comparatively heavy loss, and without the loss of a man killed or wounded.

Keep me informed of Burnside’s movements.

Very respectfully, &c.,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.