HEADQUARTERS LORING'S DIVISION, Meridian, September 30, 1863.

Colonel B. S. EWELL,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: If cars were here for the morning of Adams' brigade it could move at once. It will be held in readiness to do so at any hour that may be designated. Please inform me at what hour in the morning the first train will start.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. LORING,

Major-General.

Abstract from field return of Loring's division, Army of Mississippi, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, Major General W. W. Loring, C. S. Army, commanding, September 30, 1863; headquarters Meridian, Miss.

Present for duty.

Infantry. Artillery.

Command. Officers. Men. Officers. Men.

Adams' brigade. 105 1,544 4 108

Buford's brigade. 169 1,767 2 87

Featherston's brigade. 103 1,305 11 228

Total. 377 4,616 17 423

CONTINUATION:

Effective Aggregate Aggregate Aggregate

Command. total. present. present and last

absent. return.

Adams' brigade. 1,635 2,009 4,395 4,358

Buford's 1,819 2,472 4,748 4,790

brigade.

Featherston's 1,510 2,001 3,618 3,590

brigade.

Total. 4,964 6,482 12,761 12,738

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Numbers 232.
Richmond, Va., September 30, 1863.

* * * * * * *

XXI. The Fifty-seventh Georgia Regiment, Stevenson's division, will repair to Savannah, Ga., and report for duty to Brigadier-General Mercer.

* * * * * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNumbers WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

OXFORD, September 30, 1863.

General S. COOPER:

I have ordered Major-General Lee to take 2,000 cavalry and strike the railroad in rear of Chattanooga. If this should be disapproved I will stop the movement. There will be plenty of time.

J. E. JOHNSTON.

[Indorsement.]

OCTOBER 1, 1863.

Your dispatch of yesterday's date received. Your discretion fully relied on, and your movement approved.

S. C.