that you can leave the works on which you are now engaged for the defense of Atlanta to the temporary direction of your civil assistants, to the headquarters of General Joseph E. Johnston, at Morton, Miss., and confer with him as to the practicability of rebuilding in a short time the railroad bridge over Pearl River, at Jackson, Miss., with a view to securing the rolling-stock on the Mississippi Rail-road and as much of the iron rails as possible in the vicinity of Jackson. Your absence from the works at Atlanta must be as short as possible, but the importance of saving all the rolling-stock from railroad abandoned is so great that the Secretary of War urges that no effort be spared to collect all that can be reached. I must, therefore, call on you as an engineer of many years' experience in all railroad constructions to go for a few days to the locality to advise as to the most expeditious method of accomplishing the much desired results.

The engineers serving with General Johnston can then with his authority execute the work. I will send a copy of these instructions to General Johnston with a letter asking his full assistance and support. It is believed that you can engaged, if you have not already done so, such assistants at Atlanta as can direct the works the during the short period of your absence.

Very respectfully,

J. F. GILMER,

Colonel of Engineers and Chief of Bureau.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS,

No. 155.
Morton, Miss., August 13, 1863.

* * * *

V. Captain Nelson with his company, General Walker's escort, is hereby relieved from duty with Major-General Walker, and will report to Brigadier-General Jackson for duty. To replace it General Jackson will order another cavalry company to report to General Walker, from which the same details will be made that have heretofore been made from Captain Nelson's company.

* * * *

By command of General Johnston:

BENJ. S. EWELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. ARMY OF TENNESSEE, ORDNANCE OFFICE, Chattanooga, August 13, 1863.

ColonelM. H. WRIGHT,
Commanding C. S. Arsenal, Atlanta:

COLONEL: Your telegraphic communication of yesterday having been submitted to General Bragg, I am directed by him respectfully to inform you he wishes you will keep at your arsenal 50 rounds of ammunition for each small-arm and 100 rounds for each field piece.

I cannot, at this moment, give you precise number of arms as I did not received reports from cavalry since our fall from Shelbyville,