Push any success you may obtain to the utmost. Should any East Tennessee deserters come in to you take away their arms and let them go home.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. LATROBE,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

The reason General Longstreet believes that but a small force of the enemy is in your front is that no large force could for so long a time exist with such a scarcity of forage.

O. LATROBE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, ADJT. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Richmond, February 9, 1864.

Numbers 33.

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XIV. Lieutenant General J. B. Hood will proceed without delay to Dalton, Ga., and report to General Joseph E. Johnston, commanding, for assignment to the command of an army corps.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

JOHN WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MORRISTOWN, TENN.,

February 9, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General:

I propose to advance against Knoxville again. Can't you send me Hodge's brigade of cavalry, now at Smithville, to protect my flanks? My cavalry is much reduced and worked down.

J. LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
February 9, 1864.

Major General W. T. MARTIN,

Commanding Cavalry:

The lieutenant-general commanding directs that you send Colonel Dibrell's brigade down on the Knoxville road as far as he can go at once. Let him specially notice and report upon the condition of that road, and all side roads leading to or from it. Include in his report the [condition] of the road between Bralsum's Ferry and Knoxville; also have the country to the left in the direction of Maryville examined with a view to your ability to move over it in case we make an advance with infantry, and require you to move on our left flank. This information is desired as speedily as possible.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

OSMAN LATROBE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.