operate farther, dependent on the railroad; it takes so many men to guard it, and even then it is nightly broken by the enemy's cavalry that swarm about us. Macon is distant 103 miles, and Augusta 175 miles. If I could be sure of finding provisions and ammunition at Augusta or Columbus, Ga., I can march to Milledgeville and compel Hood to give up Augusta or Macon and could then turn on the other. The country will afford forage and many supplies, but not enough in any one place to admit of a delay. In scattering for forage we lose a great many men picked up by the enemy's cavalry. If you can manage to take the Savannah River as high as Augusta, or the Chattahoochee as far up as Columbus, I can sweep the whole State of Georgia. Otherwise I would risk our whole army by going too far from Atlanta.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

NASHVILLE, TENN., September 10, 1864.

(Received 9 p. m.)

Major General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General:

Trains commenced running through to Atlanta at 10 a. m. to-day. They have not suffered for anything in the front but grain, and I shall put forward 100,000 sacks the first thing. They have plenty of subsistence. I shall also send large amounts of clothing, intrenching tools, &c. The rise in the Cumberland has made them strong in everything. If General Sherman wants to march to the Gulf, he can do it so far as the Quartermaster's Department is concerned. I reviewed 4,000 of my men under arms to-day. I wish you were here to see them, as I am confident you would be proud of the organization. I mean to make it a good one, and shall want commissions for the officers. Will write in detail soon, and attend to the suggestions in your letter.

J. L. DONALDSON,

Chief Quartermaster.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS.,
In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., Numbers 70.
September 10, 1864.

I. Pursuant to an agreement between General J. B. Hood, commanding the Confederate forces in Georgia, and Major General W. T. Sherman, commanding this army, a truce is hereby declared to exist from daylight of Monday, September 12, until daylight of Thursday, September 22, being ten full days, at the point on the Macon railroad known as Rough and Ready, and the country round about for a circle of two miles' radius, together with the roads leading to and from in the direction of Atlanta and Lovejoy's Station, respectively, for the purpose of affording the people of Atlanta a safe means of removal to points south.

II. The chief quartermaster at Atlanta, Colonel Easton, will afford the all the people of Atlanta who elect to go south all the facilities he can spare to remove them comfortably and safely, with their effects, to Rough and Ready, using cars and wagons and ambulances for that purpose, and commanders of regiments and brigades may use their regimental and staff teams to carry out the object of this order, the whole to cease after Wednesday, the 21st instant.