HDQRS. CHIEF OF CAVALRY, DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
August 14, 1864.

General GARRARD, General Stanley's Headquarters:

You will with your entire cavalry force to-morrow early, and by easy marches, test the strength of the enemy's cavalry on our left flank without risking too much. Give him a hard fight if the opportunity offers. There is no doubt that Wheeler is about Dalton with a large force, variously reported at from 3,000 to 6,000. If the opportunity offers to reach the Macon road without too much risk, don't fail to avail yourself of it.

W. L. ELLIOTT,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry.

Statement of J. B. Jordan, Captain Company G, Thirty-sixth Alabama Infantry, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Near Atlanta, Ga. August 14, 1864.

Captain Jordan says he came into our liens of his own accord yesterday evening. His regiment belongs to Hotzclaw's brigade, Clayton's division, of Lee's corps, numbers about 250 men, and is the strongest regiment in the brigade. Says their division is about 2,500 strong, is in front of the Fourteenth Corps, the left resting on the Sandtown road and the right a little to the left, in front of General R. W. Johnson's headquarters. Brigadier-General Stovall, Baker, Hotzclaw, and Gibson are the brigade commanders and are in position from right to left in the order named. Holtzclaw and Baker have Alabama troops; Gibson has Louisiana troops, and his is counted the best fighting brigade in the corps; Stavall has Georgia troops, and his men are very much demoralized, won't fight, and are constantly deserting. Clayton's division is on the left of the corps (Lee's). Hindman's division, now commanded by General Brown, of Tennessee, is in the center, and Stevenson's is on the right. Thinks their division, Clayton's, is fully as strong as either of the others. All the regiments of their corps are very much extended, in many places the line being one rank and the men three feet apart. Gibson's brigade, the left flank of their division, is one rank, with no reserves, and covers at least half a mile. Has not been to the left of their army and can give no particulars about position of troops there, except that Hardee's corps (except Cheatham's division) is on the left of Lee's, and holds the left flank of the army; thinks the extreme left is near the river. Stewart's corps is on Lee's right; says Stewart's divisions are much stronger than theirs; when he first came to them at Resaca some of his regiments numbered 1,500 men; thinks the right of Stewart's corps is about half a mile from the Augusta railroad. The militia are on Stewart's right, and are about 5,000 or 6,000 strong. Cheatham's division, of Hardee's corps, holds the right flank of the army and pickets the front of the militia; thinks Cheatham's division is about 3,000 strong. Does not know of any reserves in rear of the line at any point, and is pretty confident that there are none. No re-enforcements have been received except militia and men from convalescent camps and hospitals; says a large number of men have been added to the army from these sources; thinks the aggregate number since Hood has been in command, including cooks, teamsters, and other detailed men, will reach 15,000 men. His own company, Jordan's, numbered 14 men at Kenesaw, and yesterday mustered 34 guns; has received 12 men since the fight on the 22d. All he can say about the cavalry is that it