I received your letter by due course of mail and expected before this
to have answered one of your questions in the shape of an official
report; that is the one where you ask me the part I played at the
battle of Iuka. When the reports of subalterns come in I will make my
report which no doubt will be published and will be a full answer to
your question. I had no more to do with troops under General Ord than
I had with those under Rosecrans, but gave the orders to both. The
plan was admirably laid for catching Price and his whole army, but
owing to the nature of the ground, direction of the wind, and General
Rosecrans having been so far behind where he was expected to be on the
morning before the attack, it failed. In the late battles we have
gained such a moral advantage over them however, with Van Dorn and
Lovell added, that I do not know but it may have all been for the
best.
I have written to Julia to come down here to spend a short time. It
will probably be but a short time that she can stay, but so long as I
remain here this will be a pleasant place for her.--If the children
have not already been sent to Covington I told her to bring them with
her. In the last letter I received she said she was about sending them
to Covington.
I believe you have now got it all quiet on the Ohio. I hope it will
soon be so every place else. It does look to me that we now have such
an advantage over the rebels that there should be but little more hard
fighting.
Give my love to all at home. Write often and without expecting either
very prompt or very long replies.