144.] BALTIMORE, January 23. 1864.

(Received 9 a. m. 24th.)

Colonel LEWIS B. PARSONS,

Cincinnati, Ohio:

Your dispatches of 8 and 10 p. m. Sunday received, three in number. Commissary-General has now fixed about coffee mater. I understand about change of destination to Alexandria. Weather is very bad in this longitude from sleet, snow, and rain, but we are on the alert and hope to do the thing effectively. Please keep Wheeling and Parkersburg constantly advised from Cincinnati and Columbus.

W. PRESCOTT SMITH.

145.] CINCINNATI, January 22, 1865-8 p. m.

Honorable C. A. DANA,

Assistant Secretary of War:

Your dispatch of yesterday received. Owing to the dense fog entirely suspending navigation for thirty hours boats have not arrived as fast as was expected. Have sent up to 6 p. m., via Columbus, about 6,000. Are loading and expect to send over 2,000 to-night and about 4,000 to-morrow. If the river is certainly safe shall probably send balance on boats to Parkersburg, to arrive by the time the others are moved from Wheeling. Have been surrounded by uncertainties and taken the safest course.

LEWIS B. PARSONS,

Colonel and Chief of Rail and River Transportation.

146.] CINCINNATI, January 22, 1865-8 p. m.

THOMAS LOUGH,

Columbus, Ohio:

Please be sure and promptly notify the agent of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Wheeling of the number of troops and animals in each train as they pass Columbus. Has coffee been provided for all trains by the commissary? Woodward answered your dispatch to me last night. Are all trains going well on the Central?

LEWIS B. PARSONS,

Colonel and Chief of Rail and River Transportation.

147.] COLUMBUS, OHIO, January 23, 1865.

Colonel LEWIS B. PARSONS,

Colonel and Transportation Quartermaster, Cincinnati, Ohio:

I notify J. B. Ford, agent Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Wheeling immediately upon the departure from here of the number of cars, animals, cars of baggage, and cars of troops on each train, in order that they may furnish the same facilities. Our trains are moving very nicely at their limited speed of ten miles per hour. Coffee is prepared here and delivered at each car at the same moment. Captain Goodrich is here watching every movement, and so far everything has gone well.

T. LOUGH,

Superintendent.