CONFIDENTIAL.] HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST TENNESSEE,

New Orleans, La., September 15, 1864.

Rear-Admiral D. G. FARRAGUT,

Commanding WEST Gulf Blockading Squadron, Mobile Bay, Ala.:

ADMIRAL: If the present troubles in Arkansas should be soon settled, I propose to send a force back to Mobile Bay for the purpose of operating up the Alabama River, directing the first operations against the works on Spanish and Tensas Rivers, with the expectation of getting control of these rivers and effecting a lodgment on the Alabama at or near old Fort Stoddard. This I think will force the rebels to abandon Mobile, or at least will enable us to cut off their communication with the interior and give us very great advantage in the attack upon the city.

If we can obtain force enough the most important results will be obtained by moving directly upon Montgomery, leaving Mobile to fall by its own weight, as it must do if we can occupy and hold the country above it. In either case a demonstration will be made against Mobile from the direction of East Pascagoula, and auxiliary (cavalry) operations from Pensacola and from the Mississippi, against the railroads leading from Mobile into the interior.

General Granger has been placed in command of the district, including the troops at Mobile Bay and Pensacola, and is charged with the duties of making the preliminary preparations. My estimates for material, which were at first suspended, have now been answered and the supplies are on the way down.

I shall be pleased to hear from you in relation to this, and to receive any suggestion that may occur to you in relation to the operations from Mobile Bay.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

ATLANTA, September 16, 1864.

Major-General ROUSSEAU, Commanding District of Nashville:

You must make the most you can with the troops you have until we can get re-enforcements from the draft. I have no troops that can be spared to send you. Major-General Sherman assures me that forrest is in Mobile, and if my orders have been carried out williams has either been dispersed or will soon be captured. You have two brigades of Tennessee cavalry and five regiments of Indiana cavalry, which, with the dismounted men of General Garrard's DIVISION and General Granger's command at Decatur, certainly ought to enable you to whip Wheeler and Roddey combined at any point they may approach the railroad. If the effect of Governor Johnson's order to enroll militia has been to cause men to go over to Wheeler it will result to our advantage, as we will then know positively who our enemies are in the State.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General.

NASHVILLE, TENN.,

September 16, 1864.

Captain J. E. JACOBS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Atlanta:

As far as we can learn no officers of the cavalry were captured by Wheeler in his late raid. Lieutenant-Colonel Eifort, Second Kentucky,