HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Eastport, Miss., February 2, 1865.

Major General A. J. SMITH,

Commanding Detachment Army of the Tennessee.

GENERAL: I have the honor, by direction of the major-general commanding, to furnish you the following copy of a dispatch received at these headquarters, and to which your attention is invited.* The major-general commanding directs me to say further that steamers will arrive at this point within a day or two to carry your command to New Orleans in accordance with the requirements of the foregoing telegram, and he desires you to make all necessary preliminary arrangements at once, so that the troops may embark immediately upon the arrival of the boats, and with as little delay as possible.

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

ROBT. H. RAMSEY,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Eastport, Miss., February 2, 1865.

Major General J. H. WILSON,

Commanding Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: I have the honor, by direction of the major-general commanding, to furnish you the following copy of a dispatch received at these headquarters, to which your attention is invited.* The major-general commanding directs me to say further that steamers will arrive at this point within a day or two to carry the cavalry force to be sent from your command to New Orleans, in accordance with the requirements of the foregoing telegram, and he desires you to make all necessary preliminary arrangements at once, so that the troops may embark immediately upon the arrival of the boats and with as little delay as possible.

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

ROBT. H. RAMSEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Gravelly Springs, February 2, 1865.

Captain ROBERT H. RAMSEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: Mr. Wall, the scout whom I sent you the 22nd, has just returned. He went by way of Fulton to the vicinity of Tupelo; thence down Town Creek to the Forks of the Bigbee and to Aberdeen; returned by the way of Verona. He learned at his home near Tupelo that Hood's army was leaving for South Carolina; heard the same at Aberdeen. He struck the railroad near Verona (at Shannon's Station), and while in the wood-yard there a train loaded with troops stopped. An officer told him that they were going to South Carolina. There were Alabama and Georgia troops on the train. They told him they were the last that were going. This was on the 26th. He also saw them on the 27th. Could not find out when they began to leave. According to accounts given by the people of the country, there were 25,000 or

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* See Halleck to Thomas, January 26, 11.30 a. m., p. 584.

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