HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Cannouchee River, December 9, 1864.

General O. O. HOWARD:

GENERAL: The enemy evacuated his position opposite me this morning, probably impelled by some movement on his flank, I have put one brigade of Second Division across, and am making preparations to cross the entire Second Division, when I will push toward King's Bridge and to the nearest point on the railroad. There is a great deal of traffic over the Gulf road, trains passing almost continually. I will report again as soon as I have anything new to report.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. JOS. OSTERHAUS,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Savannah Canal Bridge, GA., December 9, 1864.

Major General P. JOSEPH OSTERHAUS,

Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

I have just returned from Corse's front. He encountered the rebels at the cross-roads, drove them back, and pursued them across the Little Ogeechee. He captured about a dozen prisoners, a piece of artillery, a cart loaded with hogs, and several mules and wagons and negroes; burned a portion of the railroad at 1 p. m., about eleven miles from Savannah, and then took up a strong position about opposite Twelve-Mile Station. The bridge is completed across the Ogeechee at Fort Argyle. General Smith is here with his division, encamping one brigade south of the canal, and the other and train north of the canal. Please have the roads put in order, and move everything over to-morrow. My headquarters are just south of the canal. Further instructions will be sent you this evening. I have heard General Blair's guns, but nothing further. General Corse's advance is about seven miles from Savannah.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Cannouchee Bridge, December 9, 1864.

Major General O. O. HOWARD,

Commanding Army of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: Please accept my thanks for your very interesting account of the successful movement of General Corse's division. We pushed things here as fast as possible; by 11. 30 the bridge across the river was completed, and by 1. 30 p. m. the Gulf road was cut simultaneously at Way's and Fleming's Stations; bridges, culverts, and the trestle-works in the Ogeechee swamps are burning. The two expeditions sent out to Way's and Fleming's will return this evening, and early to-morrow morning the First and Second Divisions will march to the pontoon bridge near Dillon's Ferry. The supply trains of the above divisions will have a hard time to reach General Woods on account of the miserable roads; from Woods' camp to the pontoon bridge the road