HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Chattahoochee River, July 15, 18

Brigadier-General LEGGETT,

Commanding Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps: GENERAL: Inclosed please find orders for the movement of this mand to-morrow morning. As a portion of your command is so dis the entire corps will encamp just beyond the Nickajack, at the p where General Force crossed the first day of our arrival in this vicin A note from General Sherman says that General Stoneman is at Sv Water Creek to-night and will commence relieving you early to-mor morning. It is desirable that you leave your pickets on until relieved Stoneman, in order to mask this movement as long as possible from enemy. The bulk of your force can move out at any time you r select; the pickets being unencumbered can rapidly join them after be relieved. All necessary arrangements have been made to provide men with rations at their camp to-morrow night. The general desi you to give the men the advantage of the cooler portions of the day much as possible.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. J. ALEXANDER, Assistant Adjutant-General

P. S.-Upon further reflection the general thinks you had bet withdraw all your pickets up to Sandtown, leave a strong picket the withdraw all from that point up to Howell's, and picket from there Gresham's left until the remainder of your command is concentrate when they will all be withdrawn.

Respectfully, &c.,

A. J. ALEXANDER; Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,

Major-General SHERMAN:

July 15, 1864.

Granger reports about 2,800 of the enemy's cavalry across the Te nessee, near Claysville. I have telegraphed him he has force enoug and I shall expect him to whip any force the enemy can now get acros the Tennessee.

GEO. H. THOMAS,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
In the Field, July 15, 1864.

Brigadier-General GRANGER,

Decatur, Ala.:

Your dispatches received. The major-general commanding says you have force enough to whip any force which may cross the river, and he expects you will do it; and after you have driven them off arrest al sympathizers with the rebellion in your district and send them to Brig adier-General Webster, at Nashville, to be banished from the United States.

WM. D. WHIPPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Major-General SHERMAN,

WASHINGTON, July 16, 1864-4.30 p. n

Georgia:

General Grant wishes me to call your attention to the possibility Johnston's being re-enforced from Richmond, and the importance your having prepared a good line of defense against such increase rebel force; also, the importance of getting as large an amount of s plies as possible collected at Chattanooga.

H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staf

HEADQUARTERS,

Powers' Ferry, on the Chattahoochee, Ga., July 16, 1864-11 p. m. (Received 10.45 a. m. 17th.)

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

I have yours and General Grant's dispatches. I had anticipated possible chances and am accumulating all the stores possible at Chat nooga and Allatoona, but I do not fear Johnston with re-enforcemen of 20,000 if he will take the offensive; but I recognize the danger ar ing from my long line and the superiority of the enemy's cavalry in nu bers and audacity. I move to-morrow from the Chattahoochee towar Decatur and Stone Mountain, east of Atlanta. All well. Copy of th to General Grant.

W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.

General SHERMAN,

Georgia, via Chattanooga:

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, July 16, 1864.

MY DEAR GENERAL: Yours of the 9th is just received. If I hav written you no "encouragement or advice" it has been mainly becaus you have not wanted either. Your operations thus far have been the admiration of all military men; and they prove what energy and skil combined can accomplish, while either without the other may utterly fail. In the second place, I must be exceedingly cautious about making military suggestions not through General Grant. While the genera himself is free from petty jealousies, he has men about him who would gladly make difficulties between us. I know that they have tried it several times, but I do not think they will succeed. Nevertheless, I think it well to act with caution. I therefore make all suggestions to him and receive his orders. In my present position I cannot assume responsibility except in matters of mere administration or in way of advice. The position is not an agreeable one, but I am willing to serve wherever the Government thinks I can be most useful.

As you will learn from the newspapers, we have just escaped another formidable raid on Baltimore and Washington. As soon as Hunter retreated southwest from Lynchburg the road to Washington was open to the rebels, and I predicted to General Grant that a raid would be made. But he would not believe that Ewell's corps had left his front

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,-
In the Field, near Chattahoochee River, July 16, 1864

General THOMAS:

I am about moving camp to vicinity of Powers', and will visit G erals Howard and Schofield, where I can be found in case of necessi I can't imagine what cavalry it is that General Granger reports at Clay ville. What is the gun-boat about? It should be at Guntersville once. If Johnston has ordered this movement he will not care abo Huntsville or Decatur, but Stevenson and Bridgeport. The latter is vital importance and he knows it..

W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,

Major-General SHERMAN:

July 16, 1864.

I cannot conceive what cavalry Granger refers to. The gun-boat ha been out of my charge for more than two weeks. Granger ought have cavalry enough left from Rousseau's expedition to whip all th cavalry the enemy can send across the Tennessee.

GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, at Chattahoochee River, July 16, 1864.

General THOMAS:

Have you anything further of that cavalry force at Claysville?

General SHERMAN:

W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.

JULY 16, 1864.

Have heard nothing further from rebel cavalry. Am all ready and will move in the morning across Pace's Ferry.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
In the Field, July 16, 1864.

Maj. Gen. O. O. HOWARD,

Commanding Fourth Army Corps: GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that at daylight to-morrow morning you move one division down the river opposite Pace's Ferry, and cover the laying of the bridges and the crossing of one division of the Fourteenth Corps, after which your division will return to its camp.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. D. WHIPPLE,
Chief of Staff.