HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Near Cape Fear River, March 14, 1865.

Major General F. P. BLAIR,

Commanding Seventeenth Corps:

GENERAL: I am directed by the major-general commanding to say to you that, owing to the change that has been ordered in the movement of the trains, General Logan will not be able to start his column before 9 a. m. to-morrow. The general commanding desires that you push forward with your command to South River, but does not wish you to cross your troops except to make a bridge-head until all the surplus trains ordered to move by the lower road have closed up compactly on your command.

The general wishes you to prepare the crossing over South River as soon after you reach that point as possible, but not to cross your command. If you should deem it necessary to throw over a portion of your corps in order to make a bridge-head and secure the crossing, of course you would do so.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. E. STRONG,

Assistant Inspector-General and Chief of Staff.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 65.
Near Fayetteville, N. C., March 14, 1865.

The command will move to South River, on the Clinton road, to-morrow. Major General J. A. Mower, commanding First Division, will have the advance and will move forward at 7 a. m. Bvt. Major General G. A. Smith, commanding Fourth Division, will follow the First Division. Brigadier General M. F. Force, commanding Third Division, will follow the Fourth Division. The Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry will move out on the road at 6. 30 o'clock. The troops will, if practicable, move on the right of the train.

II. Brigadier General M. F. Force, commanding Third Division, will cause to be detailed from his command fifty men under chage of a good officer for guard to a refugee train to Wilmington. They will report at 6 a. m. to-morrow to Colonel Wilson, provost-marshal-general Department and Army of the Tennessee, at department headquarters near the pontoons. The men will be selected from among those whose term of service has expired, and if General Force has more than fifty of such men he may send not to exceed seventy-five. These men will be provided with their muster-out papers complete, which will be placed in charge of the officer commanding, who will also become responsible for the arms of the men. Upon arriving at Wilmington they will report to Captain Ide, commissary of musters, Department and Army of the Tennessee, or Lieutenant Noyes, assisttant commissary of musters, Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps (one of whom will most probably be there), for muster out. If the above-named officers are not at Wilmington, the officer in command will proceed to New Berne, N. C.,, with his detachment and there await the arrival of the corps at its destination.

By command of Major General F. P. Blair:

C. CADLE, JR.,
Assistant Adjutant-General.