HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Chattanooga, October 16, 1863.

Major-General THOMAS,
Commanding Fourteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding has been informed that there are a number of horses and mules dying for want of food, and directs that all such be turned over to the corps quartermaster, who will have them sent to Nashville servant,

WILLIAM McMICHAEL,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Copy to General Granger.)

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Chattanooga, October 16, 1863.

Major-General THOMAS:

The major-general commanding directs me to say that the order just issued directing tools to be collected and sent to General Morton will only apply to those which may be found in camp and not the property of the command holding them. It has been represented that a number of tools have been carried into our camps without authority, and it is the intention of the general commanding to have these returned to General Morton at once.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. McMICHAEL,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Copy to Major-General Granger.)

HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND DIV., 14TH ARMY CORPS, North Chickamauga, Tenn., October 16, 1863-10 p.m.

General REYNOLDS,
Chief of Staff:

Since dark I have sent over for the woman on the island. She says the citizen who gave her information of the capture of her husband also told her: "You tell Colonel [Mc]Cook that I was up at Harrison yesterday and I saw them fixing their boats to cross. They say that they intend to surround and take him." I have a company on the other side of the creek: have 3 men at the Dan. Smith Ford, which is now impassable; 6 men and a sergeant at the Hickson bridge, with orders to patrol the Harrison road and the road up as far as the Poe road. At 3 to-morrow morning I start a captain and all available men to fell up the creek as far as Sulser's on the Poe road; this, too, beside my river patrols. Making such dispositions am safe from surprise, and before they take me I will see the color of their gun-flashes at least once.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DANL. McCOOK,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

P. S.-I succeeded in getting 100 bushels of corn at the island

to-day, and if uninterrupted to-morrow will get 600 more. There are 1,800 on it.

McC.