all the way from the neighborhood of Atlanta to Hawkinsville, and on the evening of May 6, I directed Brigadier-General Croxton to select the best regiment in his division, and to send it under its best officer, with orders to march eastward via Jeffersonville to Dublin, on the Oconee River, with the greatest possible speed, scouting the country well to the northward, and leaving detachments at the most important cross-roads, with instructions to keep a sharp lookout for all detachments of rebels. By these means it was hoped that Davis' line of march would be intersected and his movements discovered, in which event the commanding officer was instructed to follow wherever it might lead, until the fugitives should be overtaken and captured. General Croxton selected for this purpose the First Wisconsin Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Harnden, an officer of spirit, experience, and resolution. During that day and the next the conviction that Davis would try to escape into Florida became so strong that I sent for General Minty, commanding Second Division, and in person directed him to select his best regiment and order it to march without delay to the southeastward, along the right bank of the Ocmulgee River, watching all the crossings between Hawkinsville and the Ohoopee River. In case of discovering the trail of the fugitives they were directed to follow it to the Gulf Coast, or till they should overtake and capture the party of whom they were in pursuit. General Minty selected for this purpose his own regiment, the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin D. Pritchard, and excellent and dashing officer.

In the meantime General Upton, at Augusta, had sent me a dispatch advising me to offer a reward of $100,000 for the capture of Davis, urging that the Secretary of War would approve my action, and that it would induce even the rebels to assist in making the capture. Not caring, however, to assume the responsibility of committing the Government in this way, I authorized him to issue a proclamation offering a reward of $100,000 to be paid out of such money as might be found in the possession of Davis or his party. This was done, and copies were scattered throughout the country as early as the 6th of May. As soon as it was known at Atlanta that Davis' cavalry escort had disbanded, General Alexander, with 500 picket men and horses of his command, crossed to the right or northern bank of the Chattahoochee River, occupied all the fords west of the Atlanta and Chattanooga Railroad, watched the passes of the Allatoona Mountains and the main crossings of the Etowah River, and, with various detachments of his small command, patrolled all the main roads in that region day and night until he received news of Davis' capture in another quarter. The final disposition of my command my be described as follows: Major-General Upton with parts of two regiments occupied Augusta, and kept a vigilant watch over the whole country in that vicinity, and informed me by telegraph of everything important which came under his observation. General Winslow, with the larger part of that division, occupied Atlanta and scouted the country in all directions from that place. General Alexander, with 500 picked men, patrolled the country north of the Chattahoochee, while detachments occupied Griffin and Jonesborough, closely watching the crossings of the Ocmulgee and scouting the country to the eastward. Colonel Eggleston, commanding the post of Atlanta, had also sent a detachment to West Point to watch the Alabama line in that quarter. General Croxton, with the main body of the First Division in the vicinity of Macon, had sent a detachment, under my direction, to the mountain region of Alabama, marching by the way of Carrollton to Talladega, and another through Northeastern