HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Atlanta, September 21, 1864.

Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point, Va.:

Lieutenant-Colonel Porter will start back in the morning, and will bring you full answer to your letter, also all my official reports of the past. I prefer that General Canby and a part of Farragut's fleet should continue to threaten Mobile City, but not attempt its capture; that a small force with gun-boats ascend the Appalachicola to the arsenal and up to Columbus, if possible; that you take city of Savannah by a coup de main at the same time or soon after your active movements about Petersburg and the mouth of Cape Fear River. Savannah in our possession, and boats at liberty to work up the Savannah River, I am willing to start for Augusta in the manner I proposed in my letter of last night, which Colonel Porter will bring. I beg you to give my personal congratulations to Sheridan and my earnest hope that he will push Early back on Lynchburg. He can't do much up the Tennessee and Virginia Valley; it is too long. Burbridge will attempt the capture and destruction of the salt -works about Abingdon from Kentucky and Knoxville. Schofield has gone to Knoxville to make the arrangements. All well.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. CHIEF OF CAVALRY, DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Patterson's Cross-Roads, September 21, 1864.

Major S. HOFFMAN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Department of the Cumberland:

MAJOR: Everything is quiet on the picket-line on Camp Creek; the enemy's cavalry has made no advance since that reported from here last evening. I inclose report from Mr. Aldridge, who resides about one mile south of Camp Creek, on road to Sideling, as noted on sketch by Major Young, Fifth Iowa Cavalry, furnished to the general commanding. I purpose posting the re-enforcements from Garrard's DIVISION at or near A. Campbell's, or Dry Pond, to support the Second Brigade at Owl Rock Church, or THIRD Brigade at Mount Gilead Church. General or THIRD Brigade at Mount Gilead Church. General Kilpatrick represents that it is short three miles from Mount Gilead to the point where General Howard's right commences to thrown back to Doctor Wilson's, which, if the picket-line was thrown forward, would enable him to post his First Brigade on the branch of the creek, between Second and THIRD Brigades, north of William Campbell's. Having destroyed the bridges and obstructed the fords and banks by fallen tress, would make the hill sufficiently strong to hold it against cavalry. General K. has sent scouts eight miles below Campbellton on right bank of Chattahoochee. The report of pontoon bridge being there is not correct. I will see General Howard on my return to-morrow.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. L. ELLIOTT,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry.

[Inclosure.]

SEPTEMBER 21, 1864.

[Brigadier-General ELLIOTT:]

SIR: My son went about three miles beyond the rebel's picket- lines. He found their first pickets near Deep Creek, at George Thompson's;