Ship's and Gordon's Springs Gaps, while Colonel Watkins holds Nickajack Gap, checking as far as you can with safety, his advance toward the railroad in any direction, and sending me by courier all the information you can get. If attacked fight as long as you can without endangering your command, and if overwhelmed fall back in the direction of Dalton and Resaca.

Yours, truly,

J. B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE ETOWAH,
Chattanooga, Tenn., July 3, 1864-5.40 p.m.

Colonel WATKINS:

Your dispatch just received. If attacked you will fight as long as you can without endangering your command; if overpowered fall back if possible in the direction of this post, or Ringgold. Re-enforcements will be on the march in an hour, but before pushing infantry too far out it is be on the march in an hour, but before pushing infantry too far out it is necessary I should know what force the enemy has. It will not do to give the enemy an opportunity to cut us off in detail. If their force is a large one you will face back on the infantry at Gordon's Mills, holding the enemy in check and sending couriers at once to this post, and informing the officer in command at Gordon's Mills.

Very truly,

J. B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, THIRD DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS

Resaca, Ga., July 3, 1864.

Captain C. L. WHITE,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have information that Colonel Hart, Sixth Georgia Cavalry, with 300 men, is encamped near Jasper in Pickens, where he is gathering up and feeding stock. I think that the force might be captured by sending a detachment of cavalry from Kingston to seize the mountain gaps south and east of Jasper, while an attack is made from the north by a cavalry force sent from here. Colonel Croxton, Fourth Kentucky Mounted Infantry, and Colonel Baldwin, Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, called on me this morning; their regiments, with a detachment of the Third Kentucky Cavalry, number, say 1,100 or 1,200 men. Croxton and Baldwin are both intelligent men, and if your order the movement I have no doubt they will execute it vigorously. Do you propose to enter upon the immediate execution of General Steedman's order banishing citizens from the line of the railroad? If so copies should be distributed along the line. I have seen one copy, but have none.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GREEN B. RAUM,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

RESACA, July 3, 1864-7 p.m.

Captain C. L. WHITE:

Colonel Croxton, Fourth Kentucky, reports from Snake Creek Gap a dispatch from Colonel Watkins at La Fayette that the enemy is advance-