General WOOD:

Letter received. The general commanding directs that you send the couriers to Tracy City and not to Jasper, as he does not deem that route safe, nor would it comply with department orders.

P. P. OLDERSHAW,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTY-FIRST ARMY CORPS,
Pikeville, Tenn., August 19, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel LYNE STARLING,

Chief of Staff, Twenty-first Army Corps:

COLONEL: I reached this place at 11 a. m. to-day, and delayed writing until I should hear from Colonel Minty. He arrived this evening, and reports that he found Dibrell at Sparta on Monday afternoon with a strong force, equal to, if not greater than, his own. Attacked and routed him, driving him toward Yankeetown and then toward Kingston, pursuing him till 8 p.m., taking 18 prisoners. Our loss was 15 wounded; rebel loss not known.

Colonel Minty left one battalion at Rock Island, and one with instructions to watch rebels near Sparta. His command is so reduced with broken-down horses that he has but about 1,200 mounted men with him. There being a rebel force in the vicinity of Kingston, he should have a strong force to make the reconnaissance toward the Tennessee to-morrow; he can take about 1,000 men. Captain Abeel has instructions to establish the courier line to Dunlap. Colonel Minty's forage and provision train, from McMinnville, is not expected before to-morrow evening, when he makes his reconnaissance. Is he to remain in the valley of the Tennessee till further orders? I so read the instructions.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

H. P. VAN CLEVE,

Brigadier General, Comdg. Third Div., Twenty-first Army Corps.

STEVENSON, August 19, 1863.

Major General G. GRANGER,

Nashville:

The general commanding has mislaid your telegram and has forgotten the time of Colonel McCook's movement. Telegraph him again. He directs you to concentrate the Tennessee troops at Alexandria, and send them into East Tennessee to co-operate with and support Burnside. Thinks you had better put Gillem in command of the whole.

C. GODDARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

NASHVILLE, August 19, 1863.

Major-General ROSECRANS

It is of the utmost importance that another telegraph wire be run to Stevenson. Very many message to and from your headquarters