honest duty can find us via Rome. I have no doubt the road via Coosaville is safe, though I have not yet seen any one who has come that way; all here come via Dirt Town or Price's Bridge, which is eight miles above this on the Chattanooga. By to-night I will have a good bridge at Gaylesville, one three miles below on the Cedar Bluff road, and Price's Bridge, eight miles above Gaylesville. I want a good pontoon bridge at Cedar Bluff, and those at Rome will give me two good crossing places on the Coosa, in the direction I expect to move. General Garrard had some pretty fair fighting with Wheeler yesterday and reports satisfactory results. General Schofield is not yet up, but is close at hand. Keep me fully posted and use my name freely in orders sent to the rear to accomplish my purpose and plans.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Rome, Ga., October 22, 1864.

[General SHERMAN:]

GENERAL: I will send Colonel Spencer, with about 300 mounted men, and a brigade of infantry to support him, down the left bank of the Coosa at once, and start sixteen pontoons at 3 p. m., or as soon as I can get the oars and rope ready, down the Coosa with three or four armed men in each boat; that is all they will hold after the flooring is loaded. I hardly think they can go farther than Coosaville, as the left bank is watched very closely, I learn, by Jackson's and Wheeler's cavalry. Please send some cavalry up toward Coosaville to meet them and designate the place of landing. The courier-posts are now established between here and Coosavile and will open communication with the posts you contemplate establishing south of that point. The bearer, Captain Hinds, will have charge of my line. I have directed the flotilla to tie up at Coosaville and try and get information of the enemy, and if they find it clear below to flat as far as possible by daylight and again tie up and get word to your forces where they are. My force on the left bank will cover them to Coosaville without difficulty I think. Captain Hinds will be able to give you more information on his arrival. The bridge can cover 300 feet of water, which I concluded would be as much surface as the Coosa presents at any point near you. all quiet along the Railroad. The communication with Chattanooga will be opened positively, I am informed, by Monday. I have ten days' rations for my command and about 500,000 for your force. Do you want any quartermaster stores brought here? Mower and Wilson will be here to-day. I think I can get the sick and wounded off Monday or Tuesday on through trains. There are about 1,200 here now; when they are gone I am ready to clean the place and move with ten days' rations. Should you require the place to be abandoned please give instructions as to disposition of things left here.

Awaiting further orders, I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO M. CORSE,

Brigadier-General.