III. Captain O. M. Poe, chief engineer, will forthwith cause thorough reconnaissances to be made, so as to compile an approximate map for the use of army commanders, and will also cause roads to be examined and opened, to facilitate communication with the different parts of it.

IV. Brigadier-General Kilpatrick, commanding cavalry, will watch all roads to the rear, and also assist General Howard in opening communication with the fleet; and army and corps commanders will at once overhaul their trains, and be prepared, on short notice, to send to the fleet everything not absolutely required for our success.

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

L. M. DAYTON,

Aide-de-Camp.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Little Ogeechee, near Savannah, December 10, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:

I have directed that to-morrow Major-General Blair so place his command that his right flank will rest on King's Bridge and Savannah road; that General Osterhaus will push his corps to the right, his left flank resting on the same road. I find that on this side of the Ogeechee every inlet to the sea to which access can be had is commanded either by a fort or battery. I think, however, that on the other side of the river access can be had to Ossabaw Sound; and, with a view to this, I have directed Captain Reese, of my staff, to repair King's Bridge, and shall throw over a reconnaissance for the purpose of ascertaining whether it is practicable to communicate with the west side of the river. The party I sent last night down the river for that purpose has not yet returned. I have not yet received any further orders from you than what you gave me verbally to-day.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

SPECIAL HDQRS. DEPT. AND ARMY OF THE TENN., FIELD ORDERS,
Savannah Canal, near Dillon's Bridge, GA., Numbers 191. December 10, 1864.

Major-General Osterhaus, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps, will not at present take up his pontoon bridge over the Ogeechee, but leave the same, with one strong regiment well disposed for guard, until further orders.

LITTLE OGEECHEE, NEAR SAVANNAH, GA.,

December 10, 1864.

The following are the orders for the operations of this army to-morrow: First, Major-General Osterhaus, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps, will move his entire corps around to the right of the King's Bridge, and Savannah road, placing one division in reserve on that road, from which well be furnished the pioneer corps, and such other details of men, teams, &c., as may be required by Captain Reese, chief engineer, in the reconstruction of King's Bridge. Second, Major-General Blair, commanding Seventeenth Army Corps, will move his command