The troops will be provided with three days' rations and a supply of ammunition; and, in the event of success, the enemy will be pushed back as far as Wilmington with vigor.

It if be found impracticable to carry the enemy's line in front of General Terry, the troops will be intrenched near enough to the enemy to threaten his position, and maintain a skirmish line in close proximity to the enemy's works. At the same time our own line will be kept as much out of the enemy's view as practicable.

The new line will be made strong as soon as practicable, and the troops not required to hold it will be prepared for other operations.

By command of Major-General Schofield:

J. A. CAMPBELL,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., February 11, 1865.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Washington, D. C.:

The following contained in the Dispatch, is all the news from Richmond papers to-day:

The Edisto River is now the line held by General Hardee, in the neighborhood of Branchville. Nearer the coast we hold the line of the Combahee River, in the vicinity of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. From the most recent authentic intelligence it appears that while a part of Sherman's army is making active demonstrations against Combahee Ferry, near the Charleston and Savannah Railroad, as if with the design of marching on Charleston, the rest of this forces has appeared at four points on the Edisto, viz: At New Bridge, five miles below Branchville; at Binnaker's and Holman's Bridges above and at the railroad bridge opposite that place.

Our troops that hold the bridge over the Salkehatchie, west of Branchville, were driven in on last Wednesday. If he succeeds in forcing a passage of the Edisto above and below Branchville, he will tap the railroad running thence to Columbia and compel our troops to fall back from Branchville, but they will most probably evacuate it, if at any time it shall appear that Sherman cannot be prevented from crossing the river.

T. S. BOWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Near the Orangeburg Bridge, February 11, 1865-1 p. m.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN:

GENERAL: General Blair's head of column reached here about 11 a. m. He drove a regiment of rebels across the river. He has confronted them with a skirmish line. They have a line of works and two pieces of artillery covering the road. General Force is reconnoitering with a view to turning the position. General Blair has sent his mounted infantry to a crossing below. I have directed General Logan to take care of the one six miles above, called Shilling's Bridge. The rebels have given out that they expected to meet us here with the whole of S. D. Lee's corps. We have not yet discovered any great force.

Respectfully,
O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

25 R R-VOL XLVI, PT II