HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Nashville, Tenn., April 20, 1864.

General THOMAS, Chattanooga:

General Schofield reports positively that Longstreet has retired to Virginia. He will send his cavalry as far as Watauga. He cannot longer have any need of your troops, and you may draw them down quietly to Cleveland. I suppose by this time Hovey's division is up, and can replace yours above the Hiwassee. We hear of fighting up Red River, and our troops are delayed there beyond the time of our calculation.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

CHATTANOOGA, April 20, 1864

Major-General SHERMAN,

Commanding Mil. Div. of the Mississippi, Nashville, Tenn.:

Nearly the whole of Howard's corps is already at Cleveland. Hovey passed here to-day. He will be at Charleston, on Hiwassee, day after to-morrow. I have taken measures to repair the railroad from Cleveland to Red Clay at once, and for further repairs as we advance. The enemy remains quiet. A deserter reports to-day some of Roddey's cavalry going from Gadsden toward Guntersville last Thursday, and another reports Johnston's army concentrated on my front, and that he has neither received re-enforcements nor sent any of his troops away.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., April 20, 1864

Major General GEORGE H. THOMAS,

Commanding Dept. of the Cumberland, Chattanooga, Tenn.:

GENERAL; Exertions have been made to supply your army with animals. Operations last fall and winter destroyed or broke down in Tennessee and Georgia not less than 30,000 draft animals and an unknown number of cavalry horses. The destruction of cavalry horses in Virginia was also very great, and the country feels the loss. We are short both East and West. Heretofore there have been more animals at Chattanooga and in East Tennessee than it was possible to feed. The animals sent to rear from East Tennessee and Chattanooga are not yet fit for service. The Quartermaster's Department will do its best, but I think you must move with smaller trains than last year, when, as I was informed at Chattanooga, twenty to thirty days' supplies moved with the army.

General Grant, I understand, has ordered General Rosecrans to send five hundred teams now in Missouri to you. One thousand mules were to reach Nashville from Camp Nelson on the 12th instant. How many mules has the Army of the Cumberland received since 1st November? How many does it now need? In fitting out a marching column of 35,000 troops here, General Grant has decided on giving them 600 wagons only. You have at Nashville 24,000,000 rations and grain for 50,000 animals to 1st January.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.