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June 16, 1877. General Richmond:

Dear General—I take advantage of a few hours' detention here to say, in reply to your inquiry of the 12th instant, that while my memory is not fresh as to all the details of General Van Dorn's operations between Columbia and Nashville, Tennessee, in 1863, or as to the precise composition of his command at that time, yet I remember that it contained the brigades of Forest, Jackson, Armstrong, Whitfield and Cosby, numbering, perhaps, 7,000 effective cavalry and artillery; and I can no doubt give you with tolerable accuracy the main features of the transactions to which you refer. General Van Dorn arrived at Columbia early in February, 1863, and shortly thereafter (perhaps in March) took up his headquarters at Spring Hill, protecting the left of General Bragg's army, and operating against the Federal line of communication so effectively as to confine the enemy closely to their fortified positions at Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Triune and other points. Vexed at Van Dorn's frequent attacks and constantly increasing proximity to their lines, the enemy repeatedly moved out in force from their strongholds, but could never be coaxed far enough from them to justify any vigorous attack till some time in May, when General Coburn came out of Franklin with about 5,000 men, and was enticed to a point near Thompson station, where, after a sharp engagement, he surrendered in time to prevent a simultaneous attack in front and rear—Forest's brigade having gotten behind him. On