and remnants of Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps that were left by Sherman with Thomas' army, is moving east via Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsylvania Central Railroad. Large forces, supposed to be A. J. Smith's command, and other troops gathered from western garrisons, reported going down Mississippi River. Remainder of Thomas' army, including Wood's corps, at Eastport in bivouacks.

R. TAYLOR,

Lieutenant-General.

MONTGOMERY, ALA., February 2, 1865.

Colonel L. VON ZINKEN,

Columbus, Ga.:

Slocomb's battery at Columbus, Miss. Am informed Fenner's battery at Mobile.

J. B. EUSTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MERIDIAN, February 2, 1865

Brigadier General W. H. JACKSON,

Columbus, Miss.:

Your telegram to General Forrest received. He has gone west, and will advise you where to meet him on his return. Lieutenant-General Taylor directs me to say he is anxious to get Ross off, but if one or two days' detention will enable you to have his command paid you can detain him for that purpose.

W. F. BULLOCK, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,

Meridian, February 2, 1865

Brigadier General D. W. ADAMS,

Montevallo, Ala.:

GENERAL: Having sent a number of artillerists belonging to the Army of Tennessee, who are without guns, to Mobile, the reserves now there will, in a few days he relieved and sent to you. I wish you to garrison Opelika, Coosa bridge, Demopolis, and Selma (particularly the latter on account of the value of its public workshops) sufficiently well to insure their safety against any cavalry raid. I shall also send you some cavalry and if possible some veteran infantry, but the drafts made upon me for me for other and for the moment more important field, place it out of my power to attempt to do more than furnish you with sufficient force for the protection of the more important points in your district from cavalry raids. Major-General Forrest, who commands all the cavalry in Mississippi and East Louisiana, will have a large force in position from whence it can be rapidly thrown toward Tuscaloosa, and aid you in resisting any advance of the enemy from that direction. With that view I have directed pontoons to be laid at convenient points to facilitate his crossing the intervening streams. Brigadier-General Roddey has been directed to watch the enemy in his front and promptly send you information of any movements. Should be (Brigadier-General Roddey) have to fall back before an advance of the enemy, you will, as senior officer, assume command of his forces as well as your own, and