be had where the brigade is at present. If the forage can be obtained here, let them be loaded here, and all move together on the direct road. A battery will report to the Second Brigade, at Prairie Mound, for duty.

By order of Colonel Neely, commanding:

L. T. LINDSEY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

MERIDIAN, MISS., August 2, 1864.

Brigadier General D. W. ADAMS,

Opelika, Ala.:

General Forrest reports a force of infantry and cavalry moving from Decatur, Ala. Send General Roddey, with his brigade, to watch and check them. Send the First Louisiana to Mobile at once.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.

ABINGDON, August 3, 1864.

Colonel W. PRESTON JohnSTON:

DEAR COLONEL: A dispatch has been just received stating that Colonels Duke and Morgan have been exchanged. Is such the fact? My scouts from beyond Pound Gap have just arrived, informing me that my flag of truce that has been held by the Federal authorities in Kentucky is on its way out, together with General Hobson, whom we captured near Cynthiana. We are getting along very well in the department, everything working smoothly, and I am getting the troops in a good state of discipline. Found upon taking command that a large number of stragglers and independent scouts were running loose through the country; have succeeded in getting them nearly all in hand. The greater portion of the troops I moved into East Tennessee. My advance regiments are at Bull's Gap and Rogersville, and scout miles beyond. Am using every exertion to get the grain from that country, direction. I wish it would meet the views of the President to send a good officer to take charge of the Kentucky troops that I found in the department. They were ordered to report to me by General Buckner and are under Colonel Giltner. General Hodge's brigade I yesterday found necessary to separate from Colonel Giltner, who had been in command of them since serving under myself. It is important that an efficient officer should be placed over the brigade; there is fine material be entirely acceptable to the troops. Number of young men are coming out from Kentucky; seven reported on yesterday; among the number a son of George Johnson, of Kentucky, who fell at Shiloh. All concur in their statements in regard to the great change that has taken place in the State; they report but few Union men now in Kentucky. I am satisfied that if we could only hold the State for sixty days an accession of at least 25,000 men would be added to our army. In passing through the State was astonished to observe the change that had taken place; numbers of young men were added to my ranks whoopposed to us.

Yours, truly,

JOHN H. MORGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.