the mountain. There have been but 60 in this vicinity. Most of them left here this morning, going into the mountains over and almost impassable road in the direction of Chattanooga. The little children here tell me that there has been no regular soldiers in this vicinity for four months. There was yesterday once company of home guards. I can hear of nothing else in the country.

I made a plat (rough) of the roads in this neighborhood, and gave it to Major Helveti to post pickets by. I will send it to you as soon as he comes in. The best road over the mountains to Rome is said to be right where your headquarters are.

I have ordered my men to live on half rations, which will make our rations last until they day after to-morrow. Plenty of forage and good water here. I will report as soon as the Rawlingsville party returns, and anything of interest. I am having the country immediately around here thoroughly scouted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. M. McCOOK,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS CHIEF OF CAVALRY,
Near Winston's, September 4, 1863.

Colonel E. M. McCOOK:

COLONEL: The general commanding says send a scout to Lebanon to-morrow; a small brigade is sufficient. Keep your stock well fed up and get them in as good condition as possible. Will send Second Michigan and Secon East Tennessee to you in the morning. Examine the road up Lookout Mountain and the one this side. Send a small scout on the mountain to-morrow. If you fall in with any home guards, you can suppose them bushwhackers while fighting them, but after they are captured they must be treated as prisoners.

Respectfully, yours,

WM. H. SINCLAIR,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

COLONEL: The general commanding directs me to say that until he gets some further information no extensive scout will be made. Send one out in the direction of Rawlingsville, however, and move your camp to somewhere in the neighborhood of Winston's, between

there and Rawlingsville, where you can best find forage. The general will be down this morning.

Respectfully,

WM. H. SINCLAIR,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION,
Smith's Cross-Roads, September 4, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel GODDARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Dept. of the Cumberland:

SIR: The Fifth Confederate Infantry arrived at Bluthe's Ferry the night before last, but whether to relieve the Twenty-eight [Thirty-second] and Forty-third [Forty-fifth] Mississippi or to re-enforce