Within twenty-four hours from the transmission of the order the troops were at their destination, although there had been a delay of four hours resulting from the forward train getting off the track and stopping all the others.

This gave a reinforcement of near 8,000 men, General Ord in command.

General Rosecrans commanded the district of Corinth with a movable force of about 9,000 independent of the garrison deemed necessary to be left behind.

It was known that General Van Dorn was about a four days' march south of us, with a large force.

It might have been part of his plan to attack at Corinth, Price coming from the east while he came up from the south.