fully suggest that it is very embarrassing for them to send horses by wagon road, nor is it always safe. We have plenty of cars here to accommodate all such cases, and sometimes it may become necessary to ship even other horses. Please answer immediately.

J. L. DONALDSON,

Chief Quartermaster, Department of the Cumberland.

HEADQUARTERS,
Pulaski, December 28, 1864.

Brigadier General J. L. DONALDSON,

Chief Quartermaster, Dept. of the Cumberland, Nashville:

The major-general commanding directs me to say, in reply to yours of this p.m. relative to the shipment of horses by rail, that was intended to refer only to artillery and cavalry horses. You can regulate the shipment of all others yourself.

ROBT. H. RAMSEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington City, December 28, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS,

Commanding Department of the Cumberland, Tennessee:

GENERAL: The following is a copy of a telegram sent to your address yesterday:

It is necessary to prepare for railroad operations in Georgia and South Carolina, and as the construction corps in the Department of the Cumberland is larger than now needed, and is well trained and organized, it is proposed to transfer one division (about one-fifth of it) to Savannah. General McCallum has received the necessary instructions. Please give such orders as will facilitate this movement.

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General and Brevet Major-General.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHS. THOMAS,

Asst. Quartermaster-General and Bvt. Brigadier General U. S. Army.

RUTHERFORD'S CREEK, December 28, 1864.

General W. D. WHIPPLE:

Your dispatch of yesterday is received, also one from General McCallum, of same date and same purport, with this addition, that he directs me to confer with General Thomas and get his consent to go and take the men. As the Chattanooga road will be opened to-day, Mr. Smeed's division can be spared for this expedition, and, with General Thomas' consent, I will make arrangements at once for starting. If he wishes, I send another division of bridge-builders to assist Mr. McDonald on the Decatur end of this road. I have already nearly 1,000 men here; nearly as many as can work to advantage.

W. W. WRIGHT,

Chief Engineer.