road you are on, you had better come over here and move with him on this road. Let him know at once, so we can determine upon the movement.

I am, your obedient servant,

WM. H. SINCLAIR,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, Trion Factory, September 13, 1863-10 o'clock.

Major W. H. SINCLAIR,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

I drove their pickets from here this morning again; have made a move on this side of the river, and sent the Fourth Indiana toward La Fayette with orders to go as far as they can. I will hear from them soon and move from here by 1 o'clock to join your column, unless the regiment sent forward returns sooner. I thought it better to send only this small force the other side of the river, because the country there is bad to handle a large force in, and the force in front of me-as I stated in my last dispatch-is larger than I could whip. One regiment can accomplish all that the whole division could.

I will send you couriers as I hear from the front. Send back by these instructions whether to join you at once or wait. I am still impressed with the belief that the enemy's infantry are in force the other side of the Coosa, at La Fayette, and their cavalry on this side.

E. M. McCOOK,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, Trion Factory, September 13, 1863-12 m.

Major W. H. SINCLAIR:

Wheeler's force, that left for La Fayette yesterday on my approach, returned at 2 o'clock this morning to the cross-roads, at junction of Ringgold and La Fayette roads. I cannot, of course, drive them off. They made a stand 3 miles from here, the regiment I spoke of attacking them. I move at once to join you. The road to La Fayette this way is bad. As their cavalry is here, I think, with our forces joined, we may get nearer La Fayette. I will leave a squadron at the junction of the Trion Factory and Boomtown Valley roads to protect that flank.

E. M. McCOOK,
Colonel, Commanding.

AT FORKS OF TRION AND LA FAYETTE ROADS, [September 13,] 1863-2 p. m.

Colonel McCOOK,

Commanding Cavalry:

COLONEL: General Crook directs me to say we went on to La Fayette this morning, captured their infantry picket, and got all the desired information. Some of my scouts reported a heavy column