WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, November 9, 1864.

Major-General SHERMAN,

Kingston, Ga. ;

Following, copied from evening papers, is sent for your information:

CINCINNATI, November 9, 1864.

Yesterday's Indianapolis Journal says: Officers from Chattanooga report that Sherman returned to Atlanta early last week with five corps of his army, leaving two corps in Tennessee to watch Hood. He destroyed the railroad from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and is sending the iron into the former place. Atlanta was burned, and Sherman is now marching directly for Charleston, S. C.

C. A. DANA,

Assistant Secretary of War.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Kingston, Ga., November 9, 1864.

General EASTON,

Atlanta, Ga.:

You may order to Atlanta all cars now coming down the road, and such as Colonel Beckwith needs for extra provisions. If these suffice for the arms and ammunition ship them back, but it is not safe to calculate on any more cars. It is now raining hard, and when it clears away we must be off.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Kingston, Ga., November 9, 1864.

General EASTON,

Atlanta, Ga.:

If the rains clear away I will not delay for any cause, but you can use cars that come to the best advantage. If we have cars we will ship the arms; if not, we will destroy them; but I will delay for nothing when the time comes; same of the sick. The doctors have had plenty of notice, and if we were to wait a month it would be the same thing. The sick must march or fall into the hands of the enemy.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Kingston, Ga., November 9, 1864.

General EASTON,

Atlanta, Ga.:

I have just had a consultation with the train dispatcher here, and I am sure a good many cars will have reached you to-night that were below here. I want the arms got off, and it does not matter so much about ammunition or wagons. The latter may be unloaded.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.