ing east only to Cleveland. Have ordered Brown's home guards to scout about Ellijay and in the direction taken by Wheeler. The Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry is expected here to-day. Will detain a few days until I can learn something definite of Wheeler's whereabouts.

J. B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., August 21, 1864-8 p. m.

General STEEDMAN,
Chattanooga:

I have your dispatch of to-day, and if a gun-boat can get up to Kingston it would be well to send it. Wheeler cannot do us serious harm up there, and cavalry has not the industry to damage railroads seriously. General Schofield thinks Knoxville has provisions for three months, and is very strongly fortified, so you need not bother Wheeler there further than to keep him watched by scouts and citizens, and let me know his future course. I don't want him to come back by way of the Oostenaula. Now is the time to get all your forces in good position to move rapidly against his flank if he comes back anywhere between Spring Place and Talking Rock. Dalton is the best point from which to watch him, and I think it would be well to make a bridge across the Connesauga, near the mouth of Cooyehuttee, on the road from Dalton to Spring Place, and build a small, but strong, redoubt between the forks at the bridge, as a threat to that flank. I don't know the ground at Dalton or Spring Place, but by the maps I know if you have a respectable force at Dalton, and the Spring Place road fortified as I describe, Wheeler will not dare pass down this way. If he go into Kentucky by Cumberland Gap or Somerset there are forces enough to attend to him there. I feel confident General Grant will give Lee enough to do, so he cannot detach any considerable force toward Knoxville.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

ROME, August 21, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN:

My scouts, just returned from Randolph County, Ala., report the rebels abandoning the railroad between Atlanta and Montgomery, and moving everything around to the Charleston road. Rebels report that our forces occupy Mobile. A small party passed near Stilesborough last evening, and hear of no rebels. There is a force at Cedartown and Cove Spring.

WM. VANDEVER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

ROME, August 21, 1864.

Major-General SHERMAN:

Dispatch received at 11 a. m. Will turn out all the force hat can possibly be spared. Two of my regiments are already with General Smith, and the cavalry after Clanton.

WM. VANDEVER,

Brigadier-General.