RICHMOND, April 6, 1864.

General J. E. JOHNSTON:

Slaves not under my control. Have ordered the commandant of Georgia to forward you free negroes as rapidly as possible.

JNO. S. PRESTON.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Briston, April 6, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjt. and Insp. General, C. S. Army, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant. I must beg a second reading for my letter of the 20th ultimo, as its purpose has been misconstrued.

I remain, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

OFFICE CHIEF INSP. OF FIELD TRANS., 2nd DISTRICT,

Augusta, Ga., April 6, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel A. H. COLE,

Insp. General Field Transportation, Dalton, Ga.:

COLONEL: I have only time to write a few lines to-night to prevent General Johnston from expecting what I have no idea he will get. I really do not believe that in sixty days 1,000 various things to write you about, but will leave them until the next mail.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

NORMAN W. SMITH,

Major and Chief Inspector.

DALTON, April 7, 1864.

Lieutenant-General POLK:

Colonel Patterson has moved with about 900 effective cavalry of Roddey's brigade to the district it formerly occupied.

J. E. JOHNSTON.

DALTON, April 7, 1864.

Lieutenant-General POLK:

Brigadier-General Roddey has just received the following dispatch from Major Stewart at Somerville:

I have reliable information that 5,000 troops landed at Eastport last Saturday and one brigade at Chickasaw, on the Tennessee side. General Sherman is at Decatur. Wagons arriving at Decatur in large numbers.

J. E. JOHNSTON.

48 R R-VOL XXXII, PT III