ATHENS, ALA., October 12, 1864-12. 15 p. m.

Captain RAMSEY,

Asst. Adjt. General, Major-General Thomas' Staff, Nashville, Tenn.:

Your dispatch of this date just received. I halted my command just outside of the limits of Athens to wait transportation. I shall be ready to move at any moment.

J. D. MORGAN,

Brigadier-General.

FLORENCE, October 12, 1864-11. 30 p. m.

(Via Athens.)

Major General GEORGE H. THOMAS:

Before your dispatch to General Steedman was received, orders had been given to move at daylight to-morrow. In view of your dispatch to him, I shall move toward Athens instead of Columbia, and shall reach there to-morrow night, and be ready to do whatever you may order. Your dispatch of the 9th was not received by me, but sent back by General Croxton, and I heard nothing of it until this afternoon.

LOVELL H. ROUSSEAU,

Major-General.

NASHVILLE, October 12, 1864.

Brigadier General John T. CROXTON:

(To be forwarded via Pulaski.)

Send for your transportation so as to enable you to draw your provisions from Pulaski, and select a convenient point in advance of Pulaski for your camp, from which I wish you to patrol and guard the river from Decatur to Eastport until further orders.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, TENN., October 12, 1864.

Major-General MILROY,

Tullahoma:

Send the Fourteenth and SIXTEENTH Colored Infantry Regiments back to Chattanooga as soon as they can be relieved by the white regiments which go to Tullahoma from here in the 2. 15 train to- day. Trains have been ordered to stop at Tullahoma for the two colored regiments, and I want you to get them off as soon as possible.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

TULLAHOMA, October 12, 1864-11. 45 a. m.

Major General G. H. THOMAS:

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of order to send Fourteenth and SIXTEENTH Colored Regiments to Chattanooga, in pursuance of orders from Major-General Rousseau placing certain troops at shelbyville in this command. Major-General Milroy proceeded hence on business in relation to said troops. Return is momentarily expected.