necessary to travel, it will be three or four days before any of them can be heard from.

I will advise General Granger of any movement that I hear of the enemy's making.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. M. MCCOOK,

Colonel, Commanding.

No dispatch dated 11.30 p.m. has been received here. I received one containing copy of telegram from Major-General Schofield. I suppose that is the one referred to in your last note, and have carried out the instructions contained in it.

One of my command has just come in, and states that the rear of Garrard's column was within 8 miles of Knoxville this morning, and that one of his regiments had a skirmish with the rebels at Maryville last night. He also states that the citizens along the road inform him that rebel cavalry occupy Maryville.

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, FOURTH ARMY CORPS, Loudon, February 17, 1864.

Colonel C. G. HARKER:

COLONEL: By direction of General Granger, you will at once march your command to Sweet Water, 12 miles from here. This movement is made in anticipation of a raid on the railroad. The movement is only temporary, and you will return on future orders as soon as the emergency is over. Take with you five day's rations of the small rations. Your breadstuff can be obtained from the mill at Sweet Wate. Your beef you can drive with you. Take nothing with you but what will suffice for an absence of five days, leaving camp guard for the protection of property left in your camp. A section of artillery will report to you. The movement must be made to reach Sweet Water by 6 o'clock to-morrow morning, if possible.

Send wagons here for 80 additional rounds of ammunition.

Report at these headquarters in person for more minute instructions.

I am, yours, respectfully,
P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

U. S. STEAMER PEOSTA, Clifton, Tenn., February 17, 1864.

Rear-Admiral DAVID D. PORTER,

Commanding Mississippi Squadron:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th* instant relative to a steam-boat trading in cotton on the Tennessee River, and inclosing a copy of a telegram + from Brigadier-General Dodge to Major General U. S. Grant.

The steam-boat referred to is the S. C. Baker, owned by Halliday Bros., of Cairo, and William H. Cherry & Co., of Memphis. These

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*Not found.

+See p.405.

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27 R R-VOL XXXII, PT II