burning and destroying the trestle-work of the Cedar Keys railroad at two points about 9 miles south of Baldwin. The Gainesville cars were left on the south side of the gap. They can be taken by us at our pleasure, together with the two locomotives.

Very truly, your obedient servant,

WM. BIRNEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST FLORIDA, Barrancas, July 20, 1864.

Major C. T. CHRISTENSEN,
Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Div. of the Mississippi:

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt by steamer Clyde of your communication of 17th instant, with the extract of General Sherman's dispatch requiring me to look out for his force before the 20th or 25th of July. I will start accordingly to-morrow, with 1,000 infantry, 2 pieces of artillery, and 50 mounted men, toward Pollard, and should I not find the announced force I will strike the railroad myself. The steamer Hudson will anchor day after to-morrow, the 22nd instant, off Pensacola City, loaded with commissary stores and forage for Sherman's force.

I beg to thank the commanding general for the promised cavalry horses, and the additional regiment of cavalry. They will not lie idle, the commanding general may rely upon that.

I am, very respectfully, major, your obedient servant,

ASBOTH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, Jacksonville, July 21, 1864.

Colonel JAMES SHAW, JR.,
Seventh U. S. Colored Troops:

COLONEL: The general commanding directs me to inform you that in consequence of the lack of sufficient transportation your marching orders are changed. You will be prepared to move with your command at a moment's notice at any time after 3 p. m. to-morrow.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. BAILEY,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

FLAG-STEAMER PHILADELPHIA, Off Morris Island, S. C., July 22, 1864.

Major General J. G. FOSTER,

Commanding Department of the South:

GENERAL: Your note of the 22nd did not reach me until noon, about an hour after your departure from this anchorage. There seems to have been an entire misapprehensions as to any orders from me postponing the trial of the powder raft. So far from that about 6 last night, not observing that the powder was in the raft and ap-