HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, on the Raleigh Road, March 15, 1865-12 m.

(Received 7 p. m.)

Captain KEYSER,

U. S. Steamer Eolus, Fayetteville:

CAPTAIN: Lest I may not have been sufficiently minute in my request of Captain Young, I will now repeat that I am moving toward Raleigh, but will swin over to Goldsborough. To-night I will be at Kyle's Landing; to-morrow, near the bridge across North River, and the day after near Bentonville. It may be that the enemy will attempt to oppose me, in which case it might become of some importance that I oppose me, in which case it might become of some importance that I should send orders to Wilmingon and Weldon. I therefore ask that the Eolus remain as near Fayetteville as possible, according to the stage of the water, and I think it would be will to have atug messenger boat. If Captain Young has none to spare, I wish you would write to General Dodge, at Wilmington, saying that I wont the army tug to keep moving up and down till it is known that I am at Goldsborough or in communication with General Schofield. I have no doubt, also, that a good many of our sick and footsore men will hang about the landing; they must not be allowed to suffer, though their officers should have provided for them. If you find any such clinging about the landing, have them camp near your boat on this bank, and send word to General Dodge, chief quartermaster, to send a boat for them. I ordered him yesterday to keep boats coming up as long as there seemed a chance of their being neede. If Colonel Garber, my chief quartermaster, is there, show him this letter, and he will attend to the details referred to in the last part of this letter, but if Colonel Garber is not there, I have no other alternative but to ask your kind assistance. I send two couriers with this. Please take charge of them and send them back to me in the morning with any nws, letters, or papers you may have. My last New York dates are to the 6th.

Yours, truly,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Cade's Plantation, N. C., March 15, 1865-5. 30 p. m.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN:

GENERAL: General Blair has reached and crossed one division over South River. The enemy had not destroyed the bridge but had a regiment of Jeff. Davis' Legion, Young's division, on the other side. In charging across wo had 1 officer (Captain Woodbury, Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry) killed, and 2 men wounded. On the other bank we foud 1 rebel dead, and 1 wounded. The prisoners report a brigade at the other crossing-General Logan's. The country seems to be all swampy in that direction. General Corse was within three miles of his crossing at 3 p. m. to-day, and his cavalry at the crossing. The bridge had been burned, but he has probably repaired it by this time. There was a small cavalry force of the enemy on the other bank. There is, as we supposed, a Raleigh road soon after crossing Logan's bridge.

Respectfully,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.