seems to me our dispatches are long in reaching their destination by the courier-line. Do you not think you can cross without hearing from General Bragg? I must go back to Mississippi if I can do nothing here. I think it, however, very important that we should go together to Middle Tennessee.

Very respectfully,

S. D. LEE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, Near Courtland, Ala., October 16, 1863. (Received 9.25, 17th.)

Major General STEPHEN D. LEE,
Commanding Cavalry Corps:

GENERAL: Your letter has just been received. As General Roddey is not in a condition to move I think I ought to wait until I hear from General Bragg, which will probably be very soon. I know my line of couriers is in working order as far as Guntersville, and as I have sent dispatches by several different couriers, I feel sure that if one or several shall fail to reach General Bragg, some one of them will reach him. I regret quite as much as yourself the delay, as I feel and think with you that we should be operating somewhere. I trust I will hear to-night from General Bragg.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. WHEELER,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA, Dublin, October 16, 1863.

General S. JONES,
Abingdon:

Corse's brigade is on the road to join you.

CHARLES S. STRINGFELLOW,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

DUBLIN, October 16, 1863.

Brigadier-General CORSE,

Lynchburg:

Hurry forward your troops as rapidly as possible to Abingdon. Enemy 8 miles from that point.

CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MERIDIAN, October 17, 1863.

General J. E. JOHNSTON,

Demopolis:

General Buford telegraphs General Jackson reports skirmishing with enemy 6 miles from Brownsville, on Brownsville and Clinton road. A portion of their cavalry and infantry have gone toward