As soon as Jenkins' cavalry gets up you will be better prepared. Send a courier on the road to Monterey and urge all expedition in their movements. It is of the last importance. Please keep me fully advised. Nothing from the general since the 18th instant. Keep your command well in hand and be ready for any move rendered necessary. If Scammon and Kelley are advised of affairs near Bristol and this place, and advance is almost certain.

Very respectfully, colonel, your obedient servant,

CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ORANGE COURT-HOUSE,

September 21, 1863.

General S. COOPER:

General Sam. Jones ought to concentrate his troops, gather all the local forces, and drive back the enemy. Major Stringfellow should not have sent by telegraph the information contained in his dispatch.

R. E. LEE,

General.

SEPTEMBER 21, 1863.

Major STRINGFELLOW,

Dublin, Va.:

In all your important dispatches use as far as possible the usual cipher. If you should not have it, devise a cipher and send me the key by mail.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY IN MISSISSIPPI,
Canton, Miss., September 21, 1863.

Colonel B. S. EWELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Meridian:

COLONEL: I have the honor to bring to the notice of the general the scarcity of supplies in portions of North Mississippi. The meat ration is scarce throughout that section, and in General Ferguson's district the crops of grain are scarce as high up as New Albany, where he now is. He reports that in a short time it will be difficult for him to subsist his command and supply himself with forage even as low down as Pontotoc and Tupelo, and many supplies will have to be hauled from Okolona unless the railroad is repaired to Tupelo. I suggest that the road be repaired,as it will enable us to occupy our present line and keep the enemy at a considerable distance from the rich country below Okolona. I would also suggest that no purchases of supplies be made in North Mississippi except they are approved by Generals Chalmers and Ferguson; otherwise that command will be supplied with difficulty.

General Roddey's command was moved from Tuscumbia on the 12th to Decatur, thus leaving a large gap for the enemy to come through.