directed by Major Foster. You will relieve a picket of twenty or twenty-five men of the Missouri Brigade, now at the junction of the Florence road and a road leading from this down the valley. Place a picket also at the junction of the Florence and Shoal Creek road. Put out skirmishers in your front. Major Foster will meet you on the road to the new line.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. D. GALE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

You will send at once 200 men with their officers to report to the officer in charge of the pontoon bridge, to relieve General Loring's men at that point.

W. D. GALE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MONTGOMERY, ALA., December 27, 1864.

Brigadier General D. W. ADAMS,

Talladega:

Enemy has cut the line of Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Establish as early as possible a line of couriers, to open a rapid communication with General Hood via Decatur or Tuscumbia. Report whether a supply train for that command is practicable by same route.

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Meridian, December 27, 1864.

Brigadier General D. W. ADAMS,

Commanding District of Central Alabama:

GENERAL: Information from Federal sources, and confirmatory intelligence on our own part, satisfies me that General Hood has met a serious reverse and is retreating from Tennessee. The interruption by the enemy of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad near Verona, and movements of the enemy from Memphis on Corinth and via the Tennessee River, will, in all probability, cut him off from the reception of supplies at Corinth. You will, therefore, open communication immediately by line of couriers with General Hood via Tuscumbia, and communicate to me, with utmost promptness, all news which you may receive as to the movements of our army. It may be that supplies will have to be forwarded to our army from Blue Mountain, and of this your communication, via Tuscumbia, will convince you as to the necessity. You will, therefore, make all necessary preparatory arrangements to organize a supply train from Blue Mountain, and impress for such temporary use as will be thus required wagons and teams to organize the train, and have everything in readiness to start the train as soon as the intelligence which reaches you may render it necessary, adopting such route as General Hood may point out, or, in default of intelligence directly from him, your own discretion indicates as proper and the most available, without waiting for further instructions from me. Use the utmost diligence, and exhaust all means within your power to establish speedy communication with General Hood, and keep me promptly advised of all information which you may