to the south exclusively for freight, causing the soldiers to march and prohibiting their use to citizens altogether. In this way we can accumulate stores rapidly on our base of the Tennessee River for future use. All well to the front. Forrest's cavalry has gone up toward Columbus, where he can do us little harm, and it would be folly for me to push him. There are troops enough at Cairo to re-enforce Columbus and Paducah beyond the chance of danger.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Rutledge, March 24, 1864-12 m.

Brigadier General J. D. COX,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: The Tenth Michigan Cavalry has just reported. Having remained three days in this position, I will move my camp this afternoon to the vicinity of Powder Spring Gap, for the purpose of keeping on the move, but chiefly to arrange for an excursion into Clinch Valley, opening communication with General Garrard at Cumberland Gap, &c. I will support the movement in that direction with infantry. I will also send some infantry and cavalry up this valley toward Bean's Station. The cavalry, though coming directly from the railroad, is without any rations; says it has had nothing to eat to-day. It has a very provident commissariat.

No news of interest to-day. Thanks for the Commercial of the 17th.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

TH. J. WOOD,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

STRAWBERRY PLAINS,

March 24, 1864.

Major-General GRANGER,

Knoxville or Loudon:

Your dispatch of this date received. I have done all I could do get the regiments within the limits of veteranism to re-enlist now, but without success. They say they have been so much disappointed herefore, buffeted about, and deceived that they will not entertain the proposition. Several of them started once and were ordered back, and they say that there is no assurance that if they were to start again and get as far as Knoxville or Loudon they might not be again ordered back.

TH. J. WOOD,

Brigadier-General.

STRAWBERRY PLAINS,

March 24, 1864.

Major-General SCHOFIELD,

Commanding Department, Knoxville:

On receipt of General Wood's dispatch that his regiments refused to re-enlist as veterans, I telegraphed this morning to General Stoneman that Cameron's regiment could take its veteran furlough at once. By a dispatch from General Granger to General Wood, sent