TheSecondandFourthDivisionswerestartedforVicksburgthemomentIwasnotifiedthatboatswereinreadiness，andonthe27thofSeptemberIembarkedinpersoninthesteamerAtlantic，forMemphis，followedbyafleetofboatsconveyingthesetwodivisions。Ourprogresswasslow，onaccountoftheunprecedentedlylowwaterintheMississippi，andthescarcityofcoalandwood。Wewerecompelledatplacestogatherfence—rails，andtolandwagonsandhaulwoodfromtheinteriortotheboats;
butIreachedMemphisduringthenightofthe2dofOctober，andtheotherboatscameinonthe3dand4th。
OnarrivalatMemphisIsawGeneralHurlbut，andreadallthedispatchesandlettersofinstructionofGeneralHalleck，andthereinderivedmyinstructions，whichIconstruedtobeasfollows:
ToconducttheFifteenthArmyCorps，andallothertroopswhichcouldbesparedfromthelineoftheMemphis&CharlestonRailroad，toAthens，Alabama，andthencereportbyletterfororderstoGeneralRosecrans，commandingtheArmyoftheCumberland，atChattanooga;tofollowsubstantiallytherailroadeastward，repairingitasImoved;tolooktomyownlineforsupplies;andinnoeventtodependonGeneralRosecransforsupplies，astheroadstohisrearwerealreadyovertaxedtosupplyhispresentarmy。
IlearnedfromGeneralHurlbutthatGeneralOsterhaus’sdivisionwasalreadyoutinfrontofCorinth，andthatGeneralJohnE。SmithwasstillatMemphis，movinghistroopsandmaterialbyrailroadasfastasitslimitedstockwouldcarrythem。GeneralJ。D。Websterwassuperintendentoftherailroad，andwasenjoinedtoworknightandday，andtoexpeditethemovementasrapidlyaspossible;butthecapacityoftheroadwassosmall，thatIsoonsawthatIcouldmovehorses，mules，andwagonsfasterbyland，andthereforeI