HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Natchez, Miss., September 19, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel H. C. RODGERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Vicksburg:

COLONEL: I have information from a scout who came in to-day that the force reported, to be moving on this place from Jackson was but a portion of Forrest's command visiting this section for supplies, and that they have returned. He reports further that Forrest has left Jackson, and is moving toward Mobile, meditating in passing a dash in the direction of New Orleans in order to induce General Granger to withdraw his forces from Mobile.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. BRAYMAN,

Brigadier-General.

CONFIDENTIAL.] U. S. FLAG-SHIP HARTFORD,

Mobile Bay, September 19, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 15th instant has been received, and in reply I beg to state that it will be most gratifying to me to afford every assistance in my power to carry out your designs and those of General Granger.

I do not understand military matters sufficiently well to give an opinion on the subject of your strategy. I will talk the matter over, however, with General Granger, who will, no doubt, make it all clear to me.

The enemy have, at present, a very small force on the eastern bank, and are continuing to work hard on the wester defenses near the city, to which I have no objection.

The great difficulty with me is to get over the bar at the mouth of the Tensas, Blakely, or Apalachee, where the water appears to vary from five to seven feet, with obstructions to be removed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. G. FARRAGUT,

Rear-Admiral.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Atlanta, Ga., September 20, 1864.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Thank you for the appointment of Captain Coverdale. I hope General Sheridan will give Early a good hard high. I think Hood is moving from Lovejoy's, but cannot yet from an intelligent guess as to the direction he will take. I will have some spies in his camp to night, and have ordered Kilpatrick to feel his flank about Fayetteville. Everything continues well with us.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., September 20, 1864-3. 20 p. m.

Major-General SHERMAN:

The Richmond Enquirer of Saturday rejoices that Beauregard has been assigned to the command of the army in Georgia, that his start