l attack till noon. The activity observed
at Purdy and Bethel was, in fact, Cheatham's preparation for his march,
Saturday, to his position in General Polk's line. General Grant being
advised, Friday, by L. Wallace, of the assembling of the force in his
front, directed W.H.L. Wallace to hold his division in readiness to move
to the support of L. Wallace immediately in case he should be
threatened; and advised Sherman to instruct his pickets to be on the
alert, and to be ready to move in support with his whole division, and
with Hurlbut's if necessary, if an attack on L. Wallace should be
attempted. W.H.L. Wallace and Sherman commanded, by their respective
positions, the bridges across Owl Creek, over which passed the two roads
from the camps at Pittsburg Landing to L. Wallace.

Saturday, Sherman wrote to Grant: "All is quiet along my lines now. We
are in the act of exchanging cavalry, according to your orders. The
enemy has cavalry in our front, and I think there are two regiments of
infantry and one battery of artillery about six miles out. I will send
you in ten prisoners of war, and a report of last night's affair, in a
few minutes.

"Your note is just received. I have no doubt that nothing will occur
to-day, more than some picket-firing. The enemy is saucy, but got the
worst of it yesterday, and will not press our pickets far. I will not be
drawn out far, unless with certainty of advantage; and I do not
apprehend anything like an attack upon our position." A little later in
the day, General Sherman wrote to Grant: "I infer that the enemy is in
some considerable force at Pea Ridge [another name for Monterey]; that
yesterday they crossed a bridge with two regiments of infantry, one
regiment of cavalry, and one battery of field-artillery, to the ridge on
which the Corinth road lays. They halted the infantry and artillery at a
point about five miles in my front, and sent a detachment to the house
of General Meeks, on the north of Owl Creek, and the cavalry down toward
our camp. This cavalry captured a part of our advance pickets, and
afterward engaged two companies of Colonel Buckland's regiment, as
described by him in his report herewith enclosed. Our cavalry drove them
back upon their artillery and infantry, killing many and bringing ten
prisoners (all of the First Alabama Cavalry), whom I send you." General
Grant on the same day despatched to General Halleck: "Just as my letter
of yesterday to Captain McLean, Assist