IV. Horses and mules seized on this expedition will daily, upon arriving in camp, be turned over to the corps provost-marshal, to be branded and disposed of by him as the major-general commanding may direct. Brigade and division inspector are required to see that this order is strictly enforced.

* * * * * *

By command of Major General Frank P. Blair:

A. J. ALEXANDER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS, Near Dallas, Ga., may 30, 1864-8 a.m.

(Received 9.30 p.m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Washington, D. C.:

To move General McPherson up to the center he has to make a retrograde of a mile or so,owing to difficult ground. Every time he attempted to withdraw, division by division, the enemy attacked his whole line, as also points of our main line. It may be on the theory that we wanted to draw off altogether. These assaults were made in the night, and were all repulsed with comparatively small loss to us, but seemingly heavy the enemy. If we can induce the enemy to attack us, it is to our advantage. Do not expect us to make much progress toward the Chattahoochee till General Blair comes up and moves into Allatoona Pass. If General Banks and Admiral Porter are all out of Red River, instead of acting offensively on West Louisiana, I advise that the same command that General A. J. Smith took with him (re-enforced by 2,000 or 3,000 from Memphis and Vicksburg) be sent to Pascagoula to act against Mobile, in concert with Admiral Farragut, according to the original plan of the campaign. If this is feasible, I wish the orders to go direct from the General-in-chief to General A. J. Smith, giving him authority to make up his command to 10,000 at Vicksburg and Memphis, and at once proceed, via Ponchartrain, to Pascagoula, I know that all of Polk's army,and all the garrisons of Alabama and Florida, are with Johnston, as we have prisoners who have been for two years on local duties in those States, as well as from their active division, viz, Loring's, French's, and Maury's. The movement of General Grant on Hanover Court-House appears to me admirable, and it seems to me General Grant can force Lee to attack him in position, or to move away toward Gordonsville and Lynchburg.

W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.

NASHVILLE, May 30, 1864.

Major-General SHERMAN, Dallas, Ga.:

Your dispatch about militia received. Had previously sent two telegraphic orders to General Burbridge not to stop any troops, and this morning an aide of General Milroy went with full authority from these headquarters to bring forward the militia. I judged that we had better risk Camp Nelson and Burnside and the communications north of this for a few days than those between here and your army. Supplies are going forward well to Chattanooga, and will not be allowed to stop.

J. D. WEBSTER,

Brigadier-General.