I will suspend the movement until I hear from you. If the couriers do their duty I will have plenty of time to hear from you before day in the morning.

Very respectfully,

A. McD. McCOOK,

Major-General, Commanding.

P. S.-My troops can march by Steven's Gap, and my baggage be moved by the mountain top.

A. McD. McCOOK.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Foot of Cooper's Gap, September 14, 1863-9 p. m.

Major General A. McD. McCOOK:

Your dispatch of 4.30 p. m. is received. It shows you had not at that time received my dispatch of this a. m. to move back to Dougherty's. In view of this fact, the general commanding directs you to come forward to this place with your two divisions and order your wagons by the mountain road to this place under escort of one brigade. Send the balance of the division with its trains and eight days' rations to hold Dougherty's Gap. Send a brigade of Stanley's cavalry to hold Valley Head, and establish a courier line from there to this place along the mountain.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. A. GARFIELD,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FIRST DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS, Winston's Plantation, Ala., September 14, 1863.

Lieutenant-Colonel KILGOUR,

Seventy-fifth Ill. Vols., Comdr. of late Expedition:

COLONEL: I am directed by Colonel P. Sidney Post to acknowledge the receipt of your very satisfactory report* of the expedition made by the Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteers on the 12th and 13th instant. He also desires me to convey to you his sincere thanks for the prompt and successful manner in which you conducted the expedition. To the officers and men of the command he would express his high appreciation of their endurance and fortitude, satisfied that Illinois will never feel ashamed of her Seventy-fifth Regiment of Infantry.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAMUEL WEST,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

SEPTEMBER 14, 1863-1.15 a. m.

Colonel GODDARD:

Your dispatch of September 13 (received at 10 p. m.) I sent by courier at 6 [?] p. m. I find no infantry within 5 or 6 miles from my command, which is as far as I have pushed my reconnaissance. Will not move until further orders. Command well in hand.

CRITTENDEN.

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*See Part I, p. 512.

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