for the brigade of General Pillow. General Maury desires to consummate the exchange at the earliest practicable moment, and wishes you to make the necessary arrangements at once, communicating directly with General Hood for that purpose, and notifying General Maury by telegraph the moment Brigadier-General Ferguson reaches this department. I am also directed to request you to furnish as complete a roster as circumstances will permit of your command and also a field return as soon as possible.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. F. BULLOCK, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Meridian, Miss., August 20, 1864.

Major General J. M. WITHERS,

Commanding Reserve Forces of Alabama, Mobile, Ala.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to request that you will turn over to Brigadier General D. W. Adams, commanding District of North Alabama, all cavalry reserves that may be now or hereafter organized within the limits of his district, and which are not otherwise already disposed of. The District of North Alabama includes all of that part of the State of Alabama lying north of the railroad running from Columbus, Ga., through Opelika, Montgomery, Selma, and Demopolis. The post of Cahaba is also specially included, as well as the towns above named, in General Adams' command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DABNEY H. MAURY,

Major-General, Commanding.

MERIDIAN, MISS., August 21, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.:

Forrest attacked Memphis at 5 o'clock this morning. Result not yet known. Enemy advancing on Oxford very slowly. Roads heavy; rivers rising. Nothing from Mobile to-day.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General, Commanding.

MERIDIAN, MISS., August 21, 1864.

Major General FRANK GARDNER,

Mobile, Ala.:

Forrest attacked Memphis at 5 o'clock this morning; send me the news, anything about my family.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General, Commanding.

[AUGUST 21, 1864. - For Forrest to Maury, reporting attack on Memphis, Tenn., see Part I, p. 484.]