Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862., Part II: Correspondence, Orders, and Returns.
Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Ed.

[131] you should have some legal authority to command; and I named the highest rank in my power to give without the action of the Senate, which would involve delay. If this is acceptable to you, your brother can be appointed lieutenant-colonel in the staff, as your second in command, and he shall have the authority you request to take with him a limited number of reliable men from the regiment in which he is now serving. The peculiarity of the enterprise which you have undertaken induced the expression “concurrence,” instead of placing you distinctly under the command of the naval commander. There ought not to be two commanders on the same element in war operations; but as the service you are engaged in is peculiar, the naval commander will be so advised, and will be desired not to exercise direct control over your movements unless they shall manifestly expose the general operations on the Mississippi to some unfavorable influence; which is not, however, anticipated.

I have received your dispatch of to-day, and think I understand your views perfectly. I will accept the temporary appointment of colonel of the staff, and thank you for placing my brother by my side with the rank you propose. Let me request that he be instructed to return immediately to Saint Louis, with such limited number of officers and men as he may select to bring with him. Time is very pressing. I wish to go down the Mississippi on the present flood. Good men are scarce, but I am using every exertion to send off the Mingo on Tuesday and the Lioness on Wednesday, with the coal barges, if they are delivered. If there is any prescribed form of agreement which should be signed by the crews of the boats I will be glad to receive a copy of it. An officer has just arrived with instructions from Commodore Foote to obtain information of what I am doing here, all of which I will give him. I would communicate directly with my brother if I knew to what officer at Saint Louis to address my dispatches.

Respectfully,

Your dispatch of yesterday just received, as also, in due course, was your former one. The former one was sent to General Halleck, and we have his answer, by which I have no doubt he (General Halleck) is in communication with you before this. General Halleck understands better than we can here? and he must be allowed to control in that quarter. If you are not in communication with Halleck, telegraph him at once, freely and frankly.