SHERMAN'S HEADQUARTERS, August 13, 1863. I ordered General Dennis, some days ago, to send in all the loose cotton about the bridge, and will renew the order. There is no Confederate cotton hereabouts. We could get plenty of cotton by opening a store to barter for it. The people east of the Big Black have all more or less private cotton that they want to exchange for shoes and groceries. Farrar's regiment will come to Vicksburg in the 4 p. m. train. W. T. SHERMAN, WINCHESTER, TENN., August 13, 1863-11 p. m. ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY: Cavalry division reached the Tennessee, covering Huntsville road, this a. m. Negley's troops finished road over the mountains at Tantalon. Reynolds' division advance working road over the mountains to Jasper* and Battle Creek. Crittenden's corps sent to Tracy City; road will be in working order to-morrow for movement. No other movements. Enemy in same position. Respectfully, yours, W. S. ROSECRANS. Major-General ROSECRANS, Winchester, Tenn.: MEMPHIS, August 13, 1863. Arkansas has been added to my command, and all my spare force is devoted to that region. If you will send a mounted command, say 3,000, with light artillery, down the Tennessee to Bear Creek, Í will unite 2,000 cavalry with them and drive Johnston's right wing in on the Upper Tombigbee. This will stampede him back to the Coosa and clear your right flank. The mountains of North Alabama are full of deserters with arms, who can be enrolled for us by this move. S. A. HURLBUT, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Colonel INNES, Nashville: The general commanding thinks you had better set the mills at work near Anderson, and get out timber for rebuilding the Bridgeport bridge. FRANK S. BOND, Major and Aide-de-Camp. * In the dispatch as received by General Halleck this word is Chattanooga. WINCHESTER, August 13, 1863. Major-General THOMAS: The general commanding wishes to know how General Reynolds is progressing with road repairs; how far he has got, &c. R. S. THOMS, Aide-de-Camp. Brigadier-General GARFIELD: STEVENSON, August 13, 1863. General Lytle has some fears that the rebels are cutting the timbers of the second bridge at Bridgeport. He hears chopping at night. The bridge, however, appears to be all right. There is a report here this evening that Burnside's troops are passing through Big Creek and Wheeler's Gaps; it comes from rebel sources. P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General. HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., THIRD DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS, [Capt. GEORGE LEE, Assistant Adjutant-General:] CAPTAIN Colonel Ray has just returned from Jasper. His adju tant reports verbally they saw on the opposite side of the river, at Shellmound, a rebel infantry force, estimated at from 400 to 600, with artillery. They captured 2 soldiers, with dispatches, which I have the honor to inclose; also brought in several refugees, 1 of whom, from Atlanta, is said to be a New Yorker, and very intelligent. I will send them forward as soon as possible. Sent a patrol to Island Creek Ferry to-day in charge of Lieutenant Boal. Mr. B. secured there the inclosed Chattanooga Rebel of today. There was a good deal of movement and stir about the island last evening. About 1 o'clock this a. m. I heard what I supposed to be the crash of the draw falling into the river. On visiting the pickets on the river, the sentries reported to have heard chopping and work apparently with axes and other tools about the bridge. Everything this morning looks as it did before, however. The Rice referred to in dispatches must have his headquarters near Anderson. Lieutenant Boal reports from Island Creek that Rice is patrolling the river. All quiet here. Very respectfully, W. H. LYTLE, Major-General McCook: STEVENSON, August 13, 1863–7.15 p. m. Colonel Ray has just returned from a scout to Jasper. He captured 2 rebel dispatch bearers and brought in some refugees. The rebels are conscripting with impunity in East Tennessee. The following is a copy of a dispatch captured by Colonel Ray : AT JOHN STONE'S, SEQUATCHIE COUNTY, TENN., August 11, 1863-9 a. m. CAPTAIN I just received your dispatch. I have been operating in this county yesterday and last night. I have taken up some 15 men. I turned them over to Captain Allin, commanding McDonald's battalion of cavalry, General Forrest's scouts. He will send them to Chattanooga to-day. I am going into Marion County to-day. I will operate down the valley, as there is a battalion of cavalry here, and three companies of the Fiftieth Tennessee Regiment Infantry in this county. There is not any cattle in this neighborhood that can be bought. J. Y. WITHERSPOON, Lieutenant, Commanding Scouts. P.S.-No advance of the enemy above or near here in any direction. J. Y. W. P. H. SHERIDAN, Scouts that have been to Sparta report that Dibrell's command, which was scattered by Colonel Minty on the 10th instant, has collected again at Sparta. Small parties are reported to be prowling about the country north of us. Have sent some cavalry in search of them. East Tennesseeans coming daily to join our army. H. P. VAN CLEVE, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS CONVALESCENT CAMP, Lieut. Col. C. GODDARD: SIR: Having received recently a number of orders to send men to their regiments, with accompanying complaints from officers of regiments and brigades in the field against me for retaining men here fit for field duty, I beg to enter my protest against being the subject of such accusations, as I have weekly, ever since my command here, sent to the front all men reported to me by the surgeons, excepting those detailed in the redoubts, lunettes, and batteries of Fortress Rosecrans, over which I have had no command since Major-General Granger took command here, when these men were turned over by his order to Major Houghtaling, who has since that time exercised all control over them; yet notwithstanding this fact orders have been sent to me to release men in his command. I beg in addition to report that in accordance to orders from you I have since the paymasters were through here sent nearly 1,000 men and 10 officers to their regiments, 800 men and 9 officers to Nashville to Captain Peterson for the Invalid Corps, having now in camp only those assigned to hospital and to be discharged, numbering some 125 men. These will be disposed of as soon as practicable. I am in hopes that the camp can be entirely broken up by the 1st of September at the furthest, if such be the wish of the general, whose orders I await with pleasure. Quite a number of men sent to the Invalid Corps are still without descriptive rolls. I have sent to Captain Peterson for blank duplicate rolls, which, when received and filled, will be sent to their regiments. I am, colonel, your most obedient servant, G. A. SMITH, Colonel, Commanding Convalescent Camp. Respectfully forwarded. Nashville, Tenn., August 15, 1863. I take pleasure in bearing testimony to the manner of Colonel Smith in conducting business connected with his office. I know that he does not detain men unnecessarily. G. GRANGER, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS, Major-General ROSECRANS : Camp Nelson, Ky., August 13, 1863. Shall endeavor to start Saturday [15th,] moving a brigade of cavalry from Glasgow, a division of infantry from Danville, and two brigades of cavalry from Stanford. I already have one brigade of cavalry at Somerset. We shall go into East Tennessee with the understanding that we are to live on the country, and as the entire command will not be over 14,000 strong, we shall value very much your assistance and co-operation and hold ourselves in readiness to co-operate with you in every possible way. Our destination will be as you suggest, and the time necessary for the march will be about what I have already notified you. A. E. BURNSIDE. GENERAL FIELD ORDERS,) HDQRS. ARMY OF THE OHIO, No. 1. August 13, 1863. I. The negro laborers impressed for service on the public works will be disposed of by Brigadier-General Boyle, according to his judgment and discretion, and in pursuance of such orders as may be issued from these headquarters. All such laborers will be subsisted as other laborers in the service, and commissaries of subsistence and quartermasters will issue supplies according to orders of Brigadier-General Boyle, and certified vouchers will be issued for value of labor according to his orders. Brigadier-General Boyle is charged with the control of all laborers on public works, and will execute same according to directions from these headquarters, and he is authorized to employ citizens to superintend the said laborers, and order quartermasters to pay same monthly. II. Brigadier-General Boyle is ordered to take the right of way for roads and other grounds for the use of the Government and all timber required in construction of roads and other public works. III. The First Division of the Twenty-third Army Corps, assigned to the command of Brigadier-General Boyle by general orders from headquarters Twenty-third Army Corps, embraces all troops recently recruited, and not assigned to other divisions by the above order, or not included in the reorganization of the Ninth Army Corps. Troops acting as provost-guards, throughout, will be temporarily attached to this division. By order of Major-General Burnside : LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. CINCINNATI, August 13, 1863. General BURNSIDE, Camp Nelson: I received no instructions from you during the night, but I was told by the operator at the Ohio and Mississippi office this morning that a message had been sent through from one of their regiments directing the division to go by way of Louisville. The Eleventh New Hampshire left Sandoval at 4 this morning, the Thirty-fifth Massachusetts and the Fifty-first New York are now there. This will bring the Eleventh New Hampshire to Seymour at about 10 o'clock, and will give time for any arrangements you may direct, whether or not they are to go by the way of Louisville. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. CAIRO, August 13, 1863. Col. L. RICHMOND : The troops of Potter's division-Fifty-first New York, Thirty-fifth Massachusetts, and Eleventh New Hampshire Regiments, 1,300 men in all-have been intercepted on railroad and will turn off at Seymour as ordered. There are seven regiments and two batteries of the division yet to arrive. JNO. H. COALE, |