the railroad will be safe during his absence. Give orders to your troops to obey no orders except those from you, from me, and from General Grant. Send the Eleventh Michigan to Chattanooga without unnecessary delay.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

GREENEVILLE, April 27, 1865-6.30 a.m.

Brigadier General A. C. GILLEM:

Have received communication from General Stoneman relative to future movements. General Brown and Colonel Miller will return to Asheville and take possession of the place. Will send courier to General Palmer advising him of present state of affairs. General Brown's brigade will march rapidly to Asheville and take position unless Palmer is there. Captured artillery will be sent to Greeneville. We are twenty miles from Asheville.

W. J. PATTERSON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Greeneville, Tenn., April 27, 1865.

Commanding OFFICER FIRST CAV. DIV., DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND:

The following dispatch has just been received:

Brigadier-General TILLSON:

I want the Eighth Tennessee and Thirteenth Tennessee, Miller's brigade, and the Eleventh and Twelfth Kentucky, and Eleventh Michigan, Brown's brigade, all sent to Asheville, and, as soon as they are concentrated at that point, wish the following instructions carried out by General Brown, commanding the Second Brigade: Move, via Flat Rock or some other adjacent gap, to the headwaters of the Saluda River; follow down this river to Belton or Anderson. From that point scout in the direction of Augusta, Gaa. The object of sending you to this point is to intercept Jeff. Davis and his party, who are on their way west with $5,000,000 or $6,000,000 of treasure, specie, loaded in wagons. The Secretary of War telegraphs that Davis left Goldsborough a few days ago with this treasure in wagons. If you can hear of Davis, follow him to the end of the earth, if possible, and never give him up. If Colonel Palmer is in Asheville, or can be got hold of, he will join his brigade to the other two, assume command of the whole, and carry out the foregoing instructions. But General Brown is not to wait for Colonel Palmer, but push on, as time is precious, and Palmer will follow and overtake the other two brigades. The cavalry under me, as well as other forces in the Department of the Cumberland, will, by direction of the Secretary of War, obey no order unless emanating from General Grant or General Thomas. I wish you to push a force of infantry, say 2,000 strong, up to Asheville as soon as you can get them there; clear that region of all rebels; if you can, push a portion over the Blue Ridge, and keep up communication with the cavalry, the commander of which you will instruct to try and keep up communication with you at such points or gaps in the Blue Ridge as you may think proper to hold. If you think 2,000 men not enough, you had better go yourself, taking all the force you think necessary to clear the country and hold the pass in the Blue Ridge. Inform the cavalry commander that General Wilson, with his cavalry, was, when last heard from, at Macon, Ga., and also that hostilities will not cease until the President of the United States so proclaims to the world.

GEORGE STONEMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

Please consult with Colonel Kirk, if he is at Asheville, as to the best road for you to take to carry into execution the foregoing order; and, if possible, agree with him as to the gaps to be held by the infantry, to