General Thomas and with these headquarters. You can safely communicate by way of Valley Head. The general commanding suggests that your main column need not wait for your trains, which can follow you under strong escort.

Very respectfully,your obedient servant,

J. A. GARFIELD,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS, Long's Spring, September 9,
1863-6.35 p.m.

Brigadier-General GARFIELD,

Chief of Staff:

Your dispatch of 9 a.m. this morning has this moment reached me. I will make proper dispositions of teams and march at 3 o'clock in the morning in pursuit of the enemy, and will attack him if I have a reasonable hope of success.

During my absence to-day a man named Taylor, who lives on the Lookout Mountain, visited my camp. The was in Broomtown Valley yesterday and saw a man named Robertson, who had just returned from Bragg's army. He reports the army moving by cars and marching, and says their destination is Rome, Ga., where they intend concentrating and giving us battle.

I will do my best, and will have Johnson's division and two brigades od Davis' at Alpine to-morrow night, and Sheridan will be on top of the mountain. I have a good road to go up; it has been well worked; will push with all my might, and open communication with Thomas as soon as over the mountain. I will communicate as often as I can by way of Valley Head. I am considerably trammeled by Stanley's train, but will order all the trains to follow after my troops, the supply trains preceding. Your order has been nine hours on the way to me.

I am, respectfully,

A. McD. McCOOK,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS, September 9, 1863-8 p.m.

Brig. General J. C. DAVIS,
Commanding Division:

GENERAL: Information is just received from the general commanding that from the best evidence to be obtained the enemy appears to be evacuating Chattanooga, and plans are to be materially changed. A part of the enemy's force has already reached the northern spur of Missionary Ridge, and the general commanding is anxious to know as speedily as possible what routes they are taking.

To effect this purpose, it is directed that you send one brigade of infantry to support one brigade of cavalry which is ordered to go out on the route taken by General Crook till it reaches the Chattanooga road, and move thence northward as far as the southern spurs of Missionary Ridge, and by a thorough reconnaissance ascertain the whereabouts and direction of the enemy.