HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
Red House, September 22, 1863.

General WHEELER,

Commanding Cavalry Corps:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs that you will at once cross the Tennessee River and press the enemy, intercept and break up all his lines of communication and retreat.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Major-General McLaws has reported that the enemy are crossing the river on their pontoons. General Forrest has also been ordered to cross the Tennessee. General McLaws is now within 2 miles of Chattanooga.

G. W. B.

Forrest will cross on the right. You had better get into the mountains and cross on the left if practicable. Press the enemy hotly.

Yours, &c.,

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

RICHMOND, September 22, 1863.

Major-General RANSOM,

Petersburg, Va.:

Proceed without delay to Zollicoffer and report for duty to General Samuel Jones at that place, or wherever else his headquarters may be.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

MERIDIAN, September 23, 1863.

Memoranda for Colonel Chesnut:

There are eleven brigades of infantry belonging to this department, eight of which are now with General Bragg. Two of the latter are probably on the way back. The three in the department (Loring's division) are at Enterprise, this place, and Morton. Each brigade has a field battery.

Ferguson's brigade of cavalry, 1,500 effective, is near Tupelo; Chalmer's, 1,000, near Panola; Jackson's division, 3,300, from Lexington to Raymond; Logan, with about 600, at Crystal Springs.

For the defense of Mississippi we must hold the Yazoo by fortifying Yazoo City or Satartia. We are too weak at present to do so.

For the safety of Mobile we should keep 6,000 or 8,000 men on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to re-enforce the garrison on the approach of the enemy. It, the garrison, consists now of about 3,000 for the defense of the land side. The garrison thus formed, with proper supplies of ammunition and food, could hold the place until a relieving army might be formed. For that I should have the two divisions now with Bragg and about 3,000 cavalry.

Respectfully, &c.,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.