The cavalry companies will be posted as the general directs as soon as I receive the information referred to, and I respectfully ask that the information be communicated from your headquarters as soon as received. From information received this morning I infer that the enemy has left McMinnville by this time and fallen back to Murfreesborough, but the information is not sufficiently reliable to justify me in acting on it. I have not yet heard from you in reply to my inquiry in regard to the First Kentucky Cavalry. Will you please inform me if it is still regarded as a part of my command?

Respectfully,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, Ky., September 5, 1862.

Major General JOHN P. McCOWN,
Commanding Department of East Tennessee:

GENERAL: Major-General Smith desires that you will collect all the arms and ammunition in and around Knoxville and Clinton, not in the hands of troops and not needed by them, and send them on here as soon as the opportunity of a good escort offers. Kentucky is rising en masse and arms are needed. There is no time to be lost in sending on the arms by the first re-enforcements. If the arms were here we could arm 20,000 men in a few days. There are at least 5,000 arms and accouterments with ammunition in and around Knoxville and Clinton. If General Bragg has been successful against Buell the route via Paris, avoiding the Gap road, would be best.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

JNO. PEGRAM,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE STATES FORCES, Chattanooga, Tenn., September 5, 1862.

Brigadier-General MAXEY,
Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I am directed by the commanding general to inform you that he has been instructed by General Bragg to station four companies of cavalry in Sequatchie Valley so soon as the enemy falls back from McMinnville. You will designate two of your best companies for that purpose, that they may take position at any line near Dunlap. The general further directs that your commands be held in readiness to take the field at a moment's notice. Make requisitions for all that may be necessary in the impending movements.

Respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

GILES B. COOKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT NO.2,

No. 1. Sparta, Tenn., September 5, 1862.

The President having authorized the enforcement of the conscript law in the State of Tennessee, officers are now engaged in the preparatory