General McCook directs that your supply wagons only shall be brought down the mountain, and that all your baggage wagons shall be parked at the stream on Lookout Mountain. Orders to this effect must be issued immediately. Whatever baggage you may deem absolutely essential can be brought forward in wagons loaded expressly for that purpose.

Burnside captured three locomotives and some cars in East Tennessee, and 2,000 men, who surrendered unconditionally at Cumberland Gap.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. P. THRUSTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.

P. S.-The general thinks it will be necessary for your baggage wagons to remain but for a short time on the mountain, and that some forage may be found on the by-roads there. Forage can also be sent back in empty supply wagons.

G. P. T.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,
At Foot of Mountain, near Alpine, September 11, 1863.

Major-General SHERIDAN,

Commanding Third Division:

GENERAL: Your communication in regard to the company of infantry is received. It has been found almost an impossibility to get officers to furnish good men in making pro-rata details. They generally try to get rid of their worst men. It was the fear that company officers would take advantage of this opportunity that the detail was made as it was. The general has no objection, however, to your making a pro-rata detail if such action is taken as will make it certain that good men will be sent us. If they do not prove to be such they will be returned to their companies. The detail should consist of 1 commissioned officer and, say, 2 sergeants, 4 corporals, and 30 privates.

I am, general very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. P. THRUSTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIRST ARMY CORPS,
September 11, 1863.

Colonel GODDARD:

COLONEL: I have just seen General Palmer. He thinks no considerable force of the army has gone through Dalton. He is now within 6 miles of Ringgold, and has just left me for that place, and promises to use every effort to obtain all possible information as to the roads by which the enemy has retreated. You shall have the result of his investigation as soon as it is ascertained.

Hazen camped last night within 9 miles and Wilder about 5 from General Palmer. All are moving on Ringgold by converging roads, and will probably all reach that point about the same time. If it should turn out as I suspect, that no considerable force has gone by