The heavy cannonading yesterday afternoon was caused by our artillery shelling the enemy's lines. Both sides were engaged to-day in strengthening their new lines.

The Montgomery Mail learns that the Federals are concentrating their forces at Eastport and Decatur, for the purpose of moving on Selma and Montgomery as soon as the roads are in a suitable condition. Vice-President Stephens left Richmond Wedensday evening for Georgia.

T. S. BOWERS,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Near Binnaker's Bridge, S. C., February 10, 1865.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,
Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: Your note of last night received. I will have a good bridge-head at each place, and govern myself by your direction. I sent a lieutenant with six mounted men to meet the supply train and turn it so as to follow General Corse. There is no doubt but what it is with him. It has the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry for a guard. It may be in rear of Davis. I am going over the Edisto not to reconnoiter. The casualties in yesterday's skirmish were 1 man killed, 1 mortally wounded, and 3 others wounded. The enemy commanded the road with his artillery.

Very respectfully,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Near Graham's, S. C., February 10, 1865.

General O. O. HOWARD,

Commanding Right Wing:

GENERAL: I have just received from Blackville, where I saw General Slocum. The Twentieth Corps is all up and at work destroying railroad. The Fourteenth, General Sherman thinks, will reach Williston to-night. I also learn that General Corse is close at hand, so all things are in readiness for the move on Orangeburg. General Slocum will have his two corps on the Orangeburg and Edgefiled road, opposite the New Bridge, at the head of Fair's Island, and Guignard's by the day after to-morrow. You had better move the Seventeenth Corps straight on Orangeburg, aiming to get within two or three miles, ready the next day to cross by pontoons above Orangeburg and make a lodgment on the road. The Fifteenth Corps should move to-morrow to Bull Fight Pond, and the next day to North Edisto, at the mouth of Mill Branch Creek or Caw Caw, according to the appearances about Orangeburg. I will accompany the Fifteenth Corps and camp with it to-morrow night. I want to have road broken up from about Orangeburg up above the State road, Mathews' Post-Office, but would prefer that one corps should do the work, leaving the Fifteenth to follow a course more to the west in support of the Left Wing, in the event of Dick Taylor having got to August with Hood's old army. Slocum's orders will take him by the most direct road possible to Columbia, but making to his left about the Sand Hills in case he comes in contact with one of your columns. I have nothing from Kilpatrick to-day. If