FEBRUARY 3-MARCH 6, 1864.--The Meridian Miss., Expedition and cooperating expeditions ...
No. 63. --Reports of Lieut. Gen. Leonidas Polk, C. S. Army.

MERIDIAN, February 6, 1864.
(Received Richmond, 8th.)

The movement in force of the enemy from the Mississippi at Vicksburg, which I dispatched you was contemplated, has been made. A column estimated at 20,000 entered Jackson on the evening of the 5th. Another column (numbers not known) has moved up Yazoo River--intended, probably, for Yazoo City. These columns were opposed by cavalry. I am concentrating my force of infantry at Morton. Whether the enemy intends to move in force across Pearl River does not yet appear.

General COOPER.

I have kept the War Department informed in regard to the movements of the enemy on the western front of this department. He moved out in heavy force from Vicksburg toward Jackson; also in boats up the Yazoo River. Both columns were met and held in check by the cavalry until developed.

He entered Jackson at 6 p.m. Friday, 5th, and from the most reliable information with a force of from 35,000 to 40,000 infantry, sixty pieces of artillery, and cavalry not known.

He crossed Pearl River at 10 a.m. on 7th with his whole force and moved rapidly upon Morton, destroying all the bridges behind him. He reached Morton last night, and turned toward Mobile to-day. My infantry force in this part of the department consists of Major-General Loring's division, about 6,000, and French's, 1,250, with 1,700 exchanged prisoners imperfectly organized--say 9,000. The rest of the infantry compose the garrison of Mobile. A portion of this, on consultation with General Maury, was withdrawn and ordered to the front, in the hope of making a campaign before it should be needed at Mobile; but the enemy's force proving so much larger than was anticipated, and other indications pointing to a combined attack on Mobile, made it necessary to restore this garrison and avoid giving battle, which, under the circumstances, might have been hazarded. I have therefore ordered the force from Mobile back to that garrison and added other forces to it, so as to strengthen it up to the point deemed necessary by General Maury. These troops, I have no reason to doubt, will reach their destination in due time. I have just returned from an inspection of the defenses of Mobile, and although not completed are yet in fine condition and very efficient. The garrison has six months' supply of subsistence, and is very confident. I shall take immediate steps to increase its stores by the rivers. It is of the highest consequence that its requisitions for ammunition for heavy guns should be supplied at once. I have General Loring's force and the cavalry still in the field, and am not without a prospect of increasing both.

His Excellency President DAVIS.

I dispatched the President yesterday as to the situation. Since then a dispatch from General Forrest announces two columns of cavalry--one to move on them at Grenada; the other on the corn region in the neighborhood of Columbus.

General S. COOPER,

The enemy entered Meridian the 14th, day after my last dispatch. His forward movement was retarded by my cavalry, who assailed him in front and flank. His movement was so compact as to make it difficult to do more than annoy him. Since he has been in Meridian he has been breaking up the Mobile and Ohio and the Meridian and Demopolis Railroads. I am informed by General Lee he has moved also on Enterprise. What his intentions are has not yet been determined. He may still go to Mobile or return to Jackson. Ordered Lee and Forrest to harass him, and to intercept a column of cavalry coming down to join him from West Tennessee, reported 10,000 strong. Am holding my small force in hand at Demopolis to take advantage of events. All stores from the Mobile and Ohio Railroad of special value removed, and rolling-stock placed beyond his reach. Am increasing stores of garrison at Mobile.

His Excellency President DAVIS,

By my orders General Forrest left a force to hold enemy in check near Memphis some days ago, and is now moving rapidly with his column to strike that of the enemy on its way to Columbus from West Tennessee. This column is one of cavalry, reported 10,000 strong, and is moving to join Sherman and secure food for his infantry at Meridian. The head of this column is reported near Pontotoc; General Forrest close by. General Lee moved forward under orders yesterday to co-operate with Forrest in an attack upon it. A command under General Ruggles and the Mississippi State troops will unite in the attack. To crush that force is important.

Hon. J. A. SEDDON,

My telegrams to the President have kept him advised of the movements of the enemy. The last dispatch sent yesterday. General Lee, who is covering my front, reports 7 p.m. yesterday. Says enemy engaged tearing up Mobile and Ohio and Selma Railroads above Meridian to-day. As yet indicates movement in no certain direction from Meridian.

Hon. J. A. SEDDON,

Enemy reported to have torn up 10 miles of Mobile and Ohio Railroad above Meridian, and the same amount of Selma Railroad from same point, then returned to Meridian; also to have gone down to De Soto, below Quitman, and burned bridge on Mobile and Ohio Railroad; also an amount of Government corn and cotton, then returned to Meridian. Measures taken to save stores and other Government property have been very successful. From Pearl River eastward enemy deprived of the use of all rolling-stock between Pearl River and Tombigbee. The columns of cavalry of enemy from West Tennessee, reported by General Forrest to-day 10,000, with thirty pieces of artillery, crossed the Tallahatchie at New Albany on 13th and 14th. Forrest will most probably meet them at West Point, Lee moving north to meet them at same point. The preparations necessary for re-enforcements are being made.

Hon. J. A. SEDDON,

No movement of the enemy in any direction from Meridian up to the present; probably awaiting the arrival of his cavalry column coming down from West Tennessee. That column reported to-night as arrived at Aberdeen. Generals Lee's and Forrest's columns ordered to unite and attack it. They are both between it and Sherman, at Meridian, and in supporting distance. Head of my re-enforcing column reported at Montgomery.

General S. COOPER,

Head of Hardee's column arriving to-day. Shall throw head of mine across the Tombigbee to-morrow, push the whole force forward as fast as it arrives, and move upon the enemy.

President DAVIS,

Nothing from General Lee or Forrest to-day. Have strong confidence in their success in preventing junction of enemy's columns, and believe they will succeed against his cavalry. Enemy reported to have moved from Meridian in direction of De Kalb--most probably to look up his cavalry, which is behind time. Refer to dispatch to President for my movements.

General COOPER,

The success of my cavalry in preventing a junction of the enemy's two columns appears to have broken up his campaign.

The following dispatch just received:

At last advices General Forrest had the enemy's column of cavalry between the Sakatonchee and the Tombigbee, and was holding it there for the arrival of General Lee. The latter would join him with his column perhaps to-day. I confidently expect a satisfactory result. I move my infantry forward in the morning. Two of General Hardee's brigades have arrived.

General S. COOPER,

(Same to General J. E. Johnston, Dalton, Ga.)

I have kept you advised by telegraph of the enemy's movements since he left Vicksburg. From several reliable sources I have heard it was the enemy's intention to move from Vicksburg, through Jackson and Meridian, upon Montgomery, Ala., breaking up the railroads as he went. It is reported as coming from General Sherman that the campaign was ordered by General Grant, and that he regarded it as a foolish one. It certainly has not been a successful one. The vigorous action of my cavalry under General Lee kept him so closed up that he could not spread out and forage. As an evidence of this, a drove of hogs of mine was on the way east and pursued a route within 6 miles on an average of his line of march without molestation and have arrived safely. He was deprived entirely of the rolling-stock of all the roads between the Pearl and Tombigbee Rivers, as well as of the use of all the valuable stores which had been accumulated at depots on those roads, and, finally, of the services of his cavalry column. This last deprivation was fatal to the further prosecution of his campaign, and as reported to the adjutant and inspector general by telegraphic dispatch to-day, he seems to have given it up and gone back toward the Mississippi.

I have reason to believe that the combinations now operating against his cavalry force will succeed in breaking and routing, if not even crushing it. If this should be the result, my cavalry will be ordered to fall upon the enemy's flanks and rear, and press and harass him as long as he is in the field. I shall pursue him with my infantry in the morning, taking such a course as will enable me to act most effectively.

I have already taken measures to have all the roads broken up by him rebuilt, and shall press that work vigorously. The amount of road destroyed by him may be in all about 50 miles, extending out on the four roads from Meridian as a center. While upon this subject I desire to say that it is of the highest importance that measures be taken to have the road from Selma to the Tombigbee finished and the bridge over that river built. I hope the government will take immediate steps to have this effected. For the want of it it has taken the greatest exertions to save the public property exposed by the recent movements of the enemy, and such risks should not be taken again. The movements consequent upon the presence of the enemy in this department have demonstrated also that which has been too apparent before, to wit, that the system of having subsistence and quartermaster's agents in this department who are working independently of the supervision and control of the department commander operates most injuriously to the public service. Any system which makes a commander in the field dependent for his supplies upon parties over whom he has no control cannot but work badly, and it may be fatally, to his command. All the benefits proposed to be accomplished by the existing arrangements can be much better secured by devolving the responsibility of collecting subsistence and quartermaster's stores as well as field transportation directly on the department commander. He is upon the spot, can supervise agents much more closely than the chief of a bureau at Richmond, and correct abuses as well as secure efficiency. Besides, nothing can be more inconvenient, to say nothing more of it, than to require the requisitions of a commander at this distance from the seat of government to send his requisitions for stores to Richmond to be approved before the goods can be drawn from the depots.

All the evils of the system could be cured by charging the department commander with the duty of having all these stores collected by his own staff. It is as easy for him to have provision returns showing the amount of all the subsistence in his department made to the War Department every ten days as it is for him to have a field return showing the number of his troops, and he is bound to respond to a requisition for the one as for the other by the department should they be needed in a distant field. Besides all this, having two or more sets of quartermasters in the department multiplies officials and their retainers to a pernicious extent and produces no small amount of confusion.

I repeat, all the evils of the existing system in regard to the collection of quartermaster's stores, field transportation, and subsistence could be cured by having the work done through the department commander, who should not be interfered with in the administration of his department by parties from without acting under a distant authority. I assure you that a large amount of the inefficiency exhibited in these departments arises from the improper distribution of responsibility and supervision, to say nothing of its annoyance, and I earnestly hope it may be changed.

I remain, respectfully, your obedient servant,

His Excellency President DAVIS.

The following dispatches just received :(*)

From the above and other dispatches, all of the same tenor, preceding these, I think it now certain that the campaign of the enemy is broken up. He must go beyond Pearl River, and I shall pursue him with my cavalry and follow with infantry, re-establishing my for-reel' lines as early as practicable. Is it your wish that General Hardee's column be employed in operations farther west?

His Excellency President DAVIS,

My head of column has moved upon a line pursued by the enemy to-day. General Hardee's troops are supplied with transportation as fast as they arrive. They come in slowly. The whole of the first division not yet in. I will press the whole force forward as rapidly as possible. You will have heard from my dispatch of this morning that the enemy's infantry are retreating from Meridian toward Pearl River; also that his cavalry has been foiled and are in retreat westward likewise. My cavalry have orders to pursue; my infantry will follow. In my dispatch of this morning I asked your views as to how far west I might take my re-enforcements. You are acquainted with the country.

His Excellency President DAVIS,

The following dispatch just received:

General Lee's own column is pressing the enemy's infantry with the view of harassing it on its retreat toward Canton. General Hardee's command has been ordered back to Dalton.

General S. COOPER.

The following dispatch from General Lee, at Macon, just received: