General Blair has been directed to reach Russell Place with his head of column to-night. I have two bridges, a wagon bridge and foot bridge, across the river, and if it does not rain expect to get everything across before night. The roads I have marked out are for General Blair to move from Russell Place to Williams', near Copeland's, thence by country roads to Young's Bridge; for General Logan tomove from Flat Rock to lower Williams' Cross-Roads, thence to Tillersville Post-Office. The two corps will then concentrate at Cheraw. I found a good road directly from Liberty Hill to Flat Rock. Two of General Logan's divisions are moving on a road a little farther south. There is a road also from Russell Place to Flat Rock, via an old mill, that is shorter than any laid down on the maps. My headquarters will be at this point to-night, viz, at Patterson's Cross-Roads, so as to be within easy communication with General Blair Logan.

Respectfully,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISIOIN OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Rocky Munt, February 23, 1865.

General HOWARD,

Commanding Right Wing:

GENERAL: Your note of to-day is received. I don't see as we can do better than follow the roads you have indicated, althugh they carry you too far south. Davis will cross to-morrow and get on the road from Lancester to Cheraw via Chesterfield. Williams is now at Colonel Ballard's, but his trains are not yet across. Kilpatrick willcross at 7 p.m., move out five miles, and to-morrow move to Lancaster, and there await Davis' coming. I will accompany Williams, and expect to be about Hanging Rock to-morrow night, thence will find a road across the Chesterfield. I fear much the present rain will make the roads very bad. You will have better roads and should move slower. If circumstances warrant, you might send a small cavalry forceinto Camden and get more positive news of Charleston. It might save you being troubled by cavalry to burn the bridge. If you should calculate that you will reach Cheraw much in advance of us you may threaten Florence, or actually break the railroad near there, to divert attention from our real course.

Yours, truly,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE
TENNESSEE,
Patterson's Cross-Roads, S. C., February Numbers 47.
23, 1865.

The movement to-morrow will commence at 6. 30 a.m. The Fifteenth Army Corps, Major General John A. Logan commanding, will move via the lower Williams' Cross-Roads to the cross-roads at West's. The Seventeenth Army Corps, Major General F. P. Blair commanding, will move by the country roads via Copeland's and William's Cross-Roads in the direction of Young's Bridge, making sufficient distance to enable the corps to reach that point the following day. Department headquarters will follow the leading division of the Fifteenth Army corps.