"I think the war on the approaches to the Tennessee river has ended. I think the enemy will retreat to the Grand Junction, some sixty miles nearer Memphis; and when our forces approach him there, he will go down the Central Mississippi railroad to Jackson, and if there is another great battle in the West it will be there. I think they will try to postpone anything serious until after the pending battles in Virginia. If they make the attempt now every leader would be taken in the event of defeat, without fail, whilst if it is postponed until after the fate of Virginia is decided the leaders can bring what troops they have left and, joining them to what they have here, make one last struggle for life, and if defeated they can escape across the Mississippi into Arkansas, and through that into Texas and Mexico. You may rest assured the _leaders_ will not be caught if they can get away with life; and as to _property_, they have _that_ secured already. The only way this plan can be frustrated is to occupy Memphis and Vicksburg strongly, _particularly_ the _latter_, and send one or more of our gunboats up the _Yazoo_ river _to watch every creek and inlet_, so that they may be unable to get across the _swamps_ by _canoes_ and _skiffs_. "I have heard that all the skiffs and canoes have been taken from Memphis and Vicksburg to some point up the _Yazoo river_ and fitted up, for what purpose I do not know, but I can think there is no other than what I name, for _one night's ride_ from Jackson will carry a man to the edge of the _Yazoo_ river _swamps_, where it would be impossible to follow unless equally well acquainted and with boats like theirs. From there their escape would be easy, as _they would have 400 miles_ of the river to strike, at any part of which they would find friends to assist them over to the Arkansas side of the river, and from _there_ pursuit would be useless." [Footnote 27: Copied by me on March 23, 1891, from the file at the office of the Attorney General. S. E. BLACKWELL.] [28]Letter from Miss Carroll to Secretary Stanton: [Footnote 28: Written to recommend Pilot Scott for information given.] _May 14, 1862._ Hon. E. M. STANTON, _Secretary of War_: