wooden buildings in the picture, and many more not shown, are Government warehouses, built since our occupation of Chattanooga. They all abut on the railroad track throng the town, and are connected by long platforms and have cistern attached for five protection. The Government has in town three steam fire-engines, always in readiness for service. The ordnance and commissary warehouses and the south end of the military bridge would have been shown had the picture had another section to the right.*

While writing the above the mail has just bough me from Chattanooga a large number of old pictures which were defective and had been left unmounted. Thinking that they might be found useful for issue to pertinacious applicants, or that they might otherwise come into play, now or in the future, I have concluded to send them along with those described above. I think that I have sent copies of them all before, and that no description will be necessary. The views of Chattanooga were taken over a year ago, and a comparison with the one I have just been describing may not be uninteresting. Finding that some of the chemicals left in the topographical office when I stopped taking photographic views were likely to spoil, I obtained an order to sell all I could dispose of for not less than cost. My papers for April will show the amount sold and the price obtained. I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. E. MERRILL,

Colonel First U. S. Veteran Volunteer Engineers,

Chief Engineer, Department of the Cumberland.

[APRIL 22, 1865.-For Sherman to Grant, relating to Wilson's operations in Georgia, &c., see Vol. XLVII, Part III, p. 277.]

[APRIL 22, 1865.-For J. E. Johnston to Sherman, suggesting change in instructions to Wilson, see Vol. XLVII, Part II, p. 278.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, April 22, 1865-2.30 p. m.

Major-General THOMAS,

Commanding, &c., Nashville:

The proceedings and arrangement made between General Sherman and General Johnston are disapproved by the President and countermanded, and General Sherman has been directed to resume hostilities immediately. You are ordered not to act under that arrangement, but to procedure any operations that may be going on, and push you military advantages.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

* See Plate CXXIII, view 1, of the Atlas.