maneuver correctly a company or battalion, proposes the following inducement to dril and efficiency: He will provide the battle-flags, one blue and other red, the blue for the infantry and the red for artillery. Each flag will inscribed in silver letters "Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, Excelsior". The blue flag will be presented to the regiment of the division which, in battlion drill, in soldierly appearance, in condition of camp, in discipline, and in all these qualities which characterizes the effecient, soldierly, and model regiment, shall present the best claim to the title of Excelsior Regiment of the Third Division. The regiment that wins this flag will not be permitted to take if from the division, and will be required to hold it subject to being taken by any other regiment of the division that may at any subsequent dril and inspection be deemed more whorthy of carrying it. The red flag will be give to the artillery of the division on precisely the same terms as the blue flag is to the infantry. In determining the battery enetitled to it account will be taken of the drill, the condition of camp, the personal appearance and discipline of the men, the condition of the horses, harness, wagons, guns, gun carraiges, and everything pertaining to the efficiency and soldiertly appearance of the battery. The first trial day will be deisgnated as soon as the flags arrive of its arm of the service can do so by giving five day's notice to the regiment or battery holding it and to these headquarters. The regiment and battery carrying these falgs will be designed the "Excelsior Regiment" and the "Excelsior Battery". These flags will only be carried on parads and in battle, and either of them will be taken possession of by the division commander whenever in camp, on the march, or on the field of battle the regiment or battery carrying it shall become unwhorty of the distinction given by its possession.

By order of Brigadier-General Leggett:

[31.] J. C. DOUGLASS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Fork Creek, December 4, 1863.

Brigadier General T. J. WOOD,

Commanding Third Division, Fourth Army Corps:

You will send a staff officer to report to General Sherman to notify you of the hour when you can cross your command over the Little Tennessee River. Upon receiving the notice you will move your column so as to have no delay in the crossing. Word will be sent to these headquarters by the orderly bearing the dispatch of the hour you leave your camp*.

By order of Major General G. Ganger:

T. G. BEAHAM,

[31.] Major and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH CORPS,
Louisville, December 5, 1863-5.40 p. m.

Lieutenant-Colonel SAWYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Tennessee:

COLONEL: Fiding that from information obtained there is no enemy this side of Holston River, I thought best to march direct to this place.

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* See also Ganger to Wood, VOL. XXXI, Part III, p. 331.

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