hand or in the pockets and haversacks of the men. Also more care must be given to instruct the men never to fire without seeing the enemy. When the smoke hangs low or bushes intervene the men must be cautioned to fire low. All discharges of muskets at the moon or tops of trees are not only wasted, but they deceive the generals, who have a right to judge of the execution by the fire of their men.

By order of Brigadier General W. T. Sherman:

J. H. HAMMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Nashville, April 12, 1862-p. m.

General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General:

Communications with Generals Halleck and Buell being extremely uncertain, I have the honor to forward the following dispatch for the information of the War Department, dated Headquarters Third Division, Huntsville, Ala., April 11, to Captain J. B. Fry, assistant adjutant general, chief of staff:

After a forced march of incredible difficulty, leaving Fayetteville yesterday at 12 noon, my advanced guard, consisting of Turchin's brigade, Kennett's cavalry, and Simonson's battery, entered Huntsville this morning at 6 o'clock. The city was taken completely by surprise, no one having considered the march practicable in the time. We have captured about 200 prisoners, fifteen locomotives, a large amount of passenger and box and platform cars, the telegraph apparatus and office, and two Southern mails. We have at length succeeded in cutting the great artery of railway communication between the Southern State.

O. M. MITCHEL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

OLIVER D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, April 12, 1862-11.30 a. m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

A telegram received from Mr. Bruch, assistant superintendent United States Military Telegraph, dated Nashville, 12th states that_

Huntsville, Ala., was occupied yesterday by General Mitchel without much resistance. Two hundred prisoners taken, fifteen locomotives, and a large amount of rolling stock. The Savannah line got O. K. to Columbia this morning. It had been cut in several places and wire destroyed. The line is now interrupted south of Columbia. We are doing our best to keep it up, but the roads are nearly impassable south of Columbia, and the wire is cut down as fast as we put it up.

A. STAGER.

WASHINGTON, April 12, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

In reply to my inquiry as to further information from Pittsburg Landing, Mr. Stevenson, operator at Cincinnati, says:

General Halleck gave orders to General Grant some days previous to the battle that