route for Wilson's Gap, with parts of seven regiments, ten pieces of artillery, and 140 wagons. Their force in the valley is stated at sixteen regiments or parts thereof. General Stevenson is apprised of this. He will instruct you when to fall back toward this point; if by the Maynardville route, 6,000 rations and four wagon loads of corn have been placed there for your use. Colonel Taylor is here. The Fifty-second Georgia has reached Morristown; to be here to-morrow. Colonel Reynolds is at Loudon with his command. All quiet at Chattanooga.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. F. BELTON,

KNOXVILLE, TENN., June 17, 1862.

Colonel A. W. REYNOLDS, Commanding Loudon, Tenn.:

Starnes will push on by forced marches to south side of Hiawassee and telegraph from Charleston his arrival. Enemy are reported preparing boats on Soddy and Sale Creeks, below the mouth of Hiawassee

J. F. BELTON.

KNOXVILLE, TENN., June 17, 1862.

Colonel BENJAMIN ALLSTON, Commanding First Brigade:

COLONEL: Your communication of yesterday's date is received. Since writing you last night no additional information has reached these headquarters, except such as is confirmatory of that previously sent you respecting movements of enemy at Pikeville and Crab Orchard All quiet in the direction of Kingston. Colonel Morrison has been directed to send out scouts and watch closely movement of the enemy. Reynolds' brigade is at Loudon, within supporting distance of Kingston. Taylor's brigade is now arriving at this point. No fresh demonstration upon Chattanooga. No enemy crossing, but they are reported to be building a bridge across Battle Creek. Major Howard states that his pickets below the mouth of the Hiawassee report the enemy on the other side building boats 2 miles up Soddy Creed, and also at Clift's old mill, a mile up Sale Creek. Colonel Starnes has just been ordered to make his headquarters at Cleveland and to move his command to observe in that neighborhood. One company (B, Strickland's) of Morrison's regiment has been ordered to report to Colonel A. W. Reynolds at Loudon.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. F. BELTON.

[JUNE 17, 1862.-For orders of Beauregard relinquishing and of Bragg assuming (temporarily) command of Western Department, see Series I, Vol. XXVII, Part II, p. 606.]

KNOXVILLE, TENN., June 18, 1862.

Colonel A. W. REYNOLDS, Commanding, &c., Loudon, Tenn.:

COLONEL: A body of the enemy are reported to have crossed over rat Oliver's three days ago, and are somewhere on the other side of Clinch River, between it and Walden's Ridge. They speak of Loudon Kingston as their destination. After Starnes has rested and recruited