[CHAP. XLIII.

CHATTANOOGA, December 14, 1863-10.30 p.m.

(Received 11.40 p.m.)

Major-General HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Two regiments of cavalry and four of infantry-5,500 men-have been sent to General Hurlbut within a week. I am also making preparations for a heavy cavalry raid through Mississippi, to free that State entirely, if possible, from rebels. I will instruct McPherson to use his force to best advantage to keep open the Mississippi, either in or out of the department.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV., OF THE MISS.,

Numbers 34.
Chattanooga, Tennessee, December 14, 1863.

Brigadier General W. F. Smith, chief engineer of this military division, will proceed without delay to New York City on business connected with the more complete organization of his department, on the transaction of which he will report in person for duty at these headquarters wherever they may be.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

GEO. K. LEET,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Athens, December 14, 1863.

General JEFF. C. DAVIS,

Commanding Division, Columbus:

GENERAL: You will please move your command to Cleveland, prepared to continue the march on Wednesday morning, December 16, toward Chattanooga. I will go to Charleston to-day and to Cleveland to-morrow.

Yours, truly,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

TAZEWELL, Tennessee, December 14, 1863.

Major-General FOSTER,

Knoxville:

GENERAL: I have the honor of reporting that I arrived here this evening at about dark, having left Rutledge at 9 a.m. and Bean's Station at 1.30 p.m.

Lieutenant-Colonel Babcock accompanied General Parke to Bean's Station, and together with Lieutenant-Colonel Bowen and myself looked at the ground in that vicinity with a view to conform to your instructions. We decided that the works should partake of the nature of detached redoubts, placed in defensive relations with each