HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Chattanooga, February 21, 1864-4 p.m.

Major-General GRANT, Nashville:

Your dispatch of this morning received. The troops will move to-morrow morning by daylight. Have sent you a copy of my instructions to General Palmer by courier this noon.

GEO. H. THOMAS,
Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

CHATTANOOGA, February 21, 1864.

Brigadier-General CRUFT,

Commanding First Division, Fourth Army Corps:

Leave Enyart at Ooltewah; take part of Matthies' command; go light; three days. Red Clay is your point for to-morrow night. Report by courier to me at Ringgold.

JOHN M. PALMER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Chattanooga, February 21, 1864.

Brigadier General CHARLES CRUFT:

GENERAL: Your dispatch just received. I had supposed until then that you had received detailed orders for your movements to-morrow. You will, with your command, to-morrow morning push forward to Red Clay, reaching there at the latest by 1 o'clock p.m., and from that point send a brigade in the direction of Varnell's Station to obtain information.

From the lateness of the evening at which I received my own orders I am not able to give precise directions for further operations, but can only suggest that I hope everything will be done to make the reconnaissance effective. Further orders will be sent from Ringgold, at which place my headquarters will be to-morrow night. Report to-morrow evening if possible. I presume you will able to do so by way of Parker's Gap.

Respectfully,
JOHN M. PALMER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS.1ST Brigadier, 1ST DIV., 4TH ARMY CORPS, Ooltewah, February 21, 1864-3 p.m.

Brigadier General CHARLES CRUFT,

Commanding 1st Div., 4th Army Corps, Blue Springs:

GENERAL: I have the honor to herewith forward you reports* of Capts. W. C. Harris, Thirty-eighth Illinois Infantry, and W. W. Van Antwerp, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, in regard to scout ordered to Burke's Mill, beyond Parker's Gap. I send you list of prisoners taken-citizens and soldiers. The scout of yesterday did not amount to much except capturing some letters, which I have.

I think there is a pretty good force down about the mill, and if I had time, with 100 cavalry and two regiments infantry, I think I

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*See Part I, pp.407 and 408.

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