in connection with the quartermaster, commissary, ordnance officer, and one officer detailed from each brigade in charge of the men with the wagons, and one officer an thirty men from the pioneer corps, will see that no delay occurs with the trains.

III. Company commanders will be held responsible that no straggling is allowed from their commands, and their names, as well as officers in charge of foraging parties who permit men to leave the ranks, will be reported to these headquarters.

IV. It is hoped and believed that both officers and men of this command will keep constantly in mind that we are not warring upon women and children. Foraging parties will take such article as are needed for the health or subsistence of the men, but no hugs will be entered by them, and all officers, guards, or soldiers are ordered to shoot on the spot any person caught firing a building or any other property, without orders.

V. Brigade, regimental, and company commanders will see that no firing of guns either on the march or in camp is permitted. This unsoldierly and unmilitary practice must be stopped.

VI. In marching heavy columns on the same road fatiguing and late marches are unavoidable. Soldiers will find a great relief, if not a certain preventative, for sore feet in nightly bathing them in cold water; and every care possible should be taken for their cleanliness, which is a great promoter of health.

VII. Our limited amount of rations render it necessary to prevent the increase of mouths to feed. Officers must do with their present number of servants until the end of this campaign; but all foraging parties or other officers will send such able- bodied negroes as desire it to the pioneer corps until 150 are obtained; no others will be taken. All captured horses and mules will be turned over to Captain Wilson, assistant quartermaster, to replace such as are run down in the trains.

VIII. The practice of marching regimens stretched out to tow or three times their natural length is so unsoldierlike and unnecessary that all commanding officers who take any pride in their regiments will, I am sure, take measures to prevent it. Commanding officers of companies can and must march their men in good order.

IX. This order will be read to every regiment and detachment within twenty- four hours after its reception, and assistant inspector- General and provost- marshals are charged with its execution.

By order of Brigadier General Giles A. Smith:

CHAS. H. BRUSH,

First Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

ULCOFAUHACHEE BRIDGE, November 17, 1864- 5 p. m.

Major- General SHERMAN:

I have just arrived at this point and shall move my command to near Madison to- morrow. if I meet with no opposition I shall push one division Saturday morning, unencumbered by wagons, to destroy the railroad and wagon bridges over the oconee River, with instructions to join me at Eatonton on Sunday. I shall push a brigade into Madison to destroy all public property and such private property as can be of use to the enemy, and shall move my main command toward Eatonton while this is being done. I hope to be in Eatonton Sunday evening. I have seen no enemy and everything is working well.

H. W. SLOCUM,

Major- General.