struction of railroads and property liable to be put to hostile use, the army will return to its camp at or near Chattanooga.

General Hooker's command will destroy the railroad and property near Ringgold. General Howard's corps a section of the railroad from Dalton to Cleveland, and yours, that near and at Graysville. You will therefore cause all the railroad ties and iron, water tanks, station houses, machine shops, and whatever may be connected with the railroad for a distance of about 1 mile north and west of Graysville to a point about 3 miles south of Graysville-say, to about the farm of C. Cartrung, which is about where it crosses the Calhoun road-to be destroyed. You will also cause to be destroyed all tanneries, machine shops, mills, dams, and whatever in your judgment might be converted into hostile uses, giving the parties in possession a simple statement in writing of the fact that the destruction was made by the order of the general commanding, and fixing a value when possible. The general wishes the work done thoroughly. There are two cars at Ringgold which the surgeon-in-chief proposes to load with wounded at Ringgold and push to Chattanooga depot. Please send a messenger to Ringgold, notifying the chief surgeon of General Hooker's command to use dispatch in pushing the cars by, before some hour, say 9 a. m., when the destruction of the track will begin.

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

R. M. SAWYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Graysville, Ga., November 27, 1863.

Brigadier General JEFFERSON C. DAVIS,

Commanding Division:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs that you move your command leisurely, tomorrow morning, back along the old Alabama road to Parker's Gap, and there await the return of General Howard's corps. On his return, or if you communicate with him, notify him that the pursuit of the enemy has ceased by order of General Grant, and that after destroying the railroad and other property which might be converted to hostile uses, the whole army will return to their old camps at or near Chattanooga.

In a map furnished him by the topographical engineer of the Army of the Cumberland, the general finds a large road laid down from Parker's Gap to Chickamauga Station, by way of the camp ground, which will avoid, in a great measure, the bad roads we found in approaching Graysville. The Fifteenth Corps will remain here until you send notice that General Howard has returned, when orders will be given you and General Howard to return leisurely to your former camps at or near Chattanooga, by the route indicated, provided you find such route in existence.

In anticipation of this movement, and in fear of rain, the general advises you to send back at once all wagons and artillery not needed to Chattanooga, and await your coming; also, to send into Ring-gold and ascertain if there be a wagon train there belonging to General Howard's corps, in which event order it to accompany you to Parker's Gap, there to await General Howard's return. Please notify the general when General Howard is back, that he may make the

38 R R-VOL XXXI, PT II