MOBILE, September 1, 1864.

General S. COOPER:

Forrest reports enemy has evacuated memphis and Charleston road to memphis. Troops moving up river to Missouri and Virginia.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.

Abstract from return of Armistead's Cavalry, Colonel Charles P. Ball commanding, for September 1, 1864; headquarters Talladega, Ala.

Present for duty.

Command. Officers Men. Effectiv Aggregat Aggrega

. e total e te

present. present. present

and

absent.

Armistead's 32 302 301 372 750

regiment,

Lieutenant

Colonel P.

B. Spence.

8th Alabama 22 244 241 324 716

Regiment,

Major W. T.

Poe.

Lewis' 9 95 91 139 337

battalion,

Major W. V.

Harrell.

Total. 63 641 633 825 1,803

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, Va., September 2, 1864.

His Excellency T. H. WATTS,

Governor of Alabama, Montgomery, Ala.:

By instructions from the President, I make requisition on you for all the militia which can be summoned by you to report to Major- General Maury for defense against invasion.

JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

RICHMOND, September 2, 1864.

Major General D. H. MAURY,

Mobile, Ala.:

Your dispatch of 31st ultimo received. I had previously communicated with the Governor of Alabama in relation to the defense of that State, and hope he is using to that end all the power he possesses. It will require some time to convene the legislature, and I think the Governor already possesses full power on the subject of the militia. The enemy, having broken the road east of WEST Point, has no inducement to send a large force to Opelika; its seems to me, therefore, better not to divert the reserves from Mobile to send them to Opelika. Forrest's troops are better suited to their present duty than that of the trenches. It is doubtful whether they would be much more effective than reserves in the latter service. If the enemy in his front should be withdrawn he would, I think, contribute most to the public defense by going into Tennessee to destroy the communications of Sherman's army, and, probably, to obtain a large accession of recruits.

JEFFN. DAVIS.