limits of the town on the south side of the Tennessee River shall move outside of the lines within six days from the receipt of this order.

Second. They will be allowed to go north of south, as they deem best, and take with them all their personal and movable property. Third. As fast as the building are vacated the commander of the post will take possession of them and seem that they are preserved and no damage done them.

Fourth. No exception to this order will be made except in the case of families of persons in our army or employes of the Government.

Fifth. Brigadier General J. D. Stevenson will cause this order to be immediately complied with.

By order of Brigadier General G. M. Dodge:

J. W. BARNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ATHENS, ALA.,

March 19, 1864.

Major-General LOGAN,

Huntsville:

A scout just in from Somerville reports no force there yet. Nothing this side of mountains of any moment.

G. M. DODGE,

Brigadier-General.

ATHENS, ALA.,

March 19, 1864.

Brigadier General J. D. STEVENSON,

Decatur:

Will be down in a day or two. Veatch is on way here with rest of division. You will get Loghan's dispatch.* Push scouts out toward Somerville and Gadsdem. We must be on lookout from that quarter.

Keep them to work on fortifications.

G. M. DODGE,

Brigadier-General.

NASHVILLE, March 19, 1864.

General WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

There is on hand and to arrive in the next forty-eight hours 14,000 troops for the front. I cannot take off or transport this number unless I cut down subsistence and this must not be done.

I recommend that Brigadier-General Granger be instructed to order these troops to march down by short journeys, and I will transport the rations and baggage in concert with General Granger. We can arrange to subsist the troops at given points, they carrying five days' rations in haversacks.

J. L. DONALDSON,

Senior Quartermaster.

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* See p. 94.

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