War of the Rebellion: Serial 034 Page 0712 KY.,MID.AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXV.
NEW ALBANY, July 9, 1863.
I dispatched you that Morgan had crossed the river at Brandenburg, and was near Corydon, and that General Hobson was at Brandenburg. I ordered gunboats down, but they obey no orders. I ordered transports down to cross Hobson. Morgan purposes to move in rear of New Albany and Jeffersonville, to destroy stores. He expects Pegram and Buckner, or one of them, to move in front. I have no proper force to resist him with. I beg that two or more of the regiments at Munfordville be ordered by railroad to Louisville. I can return them, if necessary. The great mob of unorganized soldiers can do no good without some organized effective force. I trust they will be sent. I have no field officers except Colonel Biddle, of Seventy-first Indiana. Can you not send Colonel Mundy by first train? I asked General Hartsuff to order troops from Munfordville, but have not heard from him.
You will, of course, use all available troops for defense of New Albany and Jeffersonville. Willcox has some troops at Seymour, which I will have send down.
Send a courier to General Judah, at Litchfield, and direct him, by the authority of Major-General Burnside, to move with his force to Munfordville, and there await my orders. If he is not there, but moving toward Brandenburg, he will continue his march to that point, and will report his arrival there to me at these headquarters. Send him a copy of this dispatch.
Morgan has crossed into Indiana with his force, and is near Corydon. His object must be to come in behind New Albany and Jeffersonville. My information is that their plan and object is to attack those places and destroy public stores. I need two or more regiments from Munfordville, and beg they be sent here by rail. A gentleman who was induced to go with Morgan to within 8 miles of Brandenburg, stated their purpose as a feint, and that Pegram and Buckner were to come in after them and attend to Louisville. Munfordville will be left sufficiently strong to hold out against 5,000 to 8,000 men. I beg that the forces be sent. If you [do not] think it proper to withdraw them at all, are there not other forces which can be sent here, if those cannot?