having remained in position five hours. Scouts have just returned and report that the citizens state this force consisted of five regiments of infantry, six pieces of artillery, and one regiment of mounted infantry, with three days' rations, cooking utensils, wagons, tents, and ambulances, under command of General Jefferson [C.] Davis; that it was a grand advance. "They were checked because Cheatham's division was in the cedar, not on this pike." We have also information that a large force of the enemy moved down on the Middleton road. From our last dispatches they had not retired. Information has reached us that another heavy column (not estimated in numbers) moved down on the Manchester and Murfreesborough pike. No news of this letter column retiring. Information also received that 1,500 cavalry are moving on the Manchester and Woodbury road. No information concerning the enemy, either from Unionville or the front [illegible] received of the advance and [illegible] the force of the enemy consisted of infantry, artillery, and cavalry, attended with wagons and ambulances. Owing to the fact that no forage was to be obtained he (the general) conjectured it was an attempted advance.

I am, major, very respectfully, yours,

DOUGLAS WALWORTH,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General

TULLAHOMA, April 22, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War:

SIR: I have just seen Paragraph XIX, of Special Orders, Numbers 81, which directs "Captain W. Bacon, assistant quartermaster, to relieve Major G. R. Fairbanks, quartermaster, &c., at Atlanta, Ga.," Major Fairbanks on being so relieved to report to me for "assignment to duty with General Bragg."

I beg leave to suggest, most respectfully, that there is but one mode in which the Government can without injury to discipline, give its orders-the mode prescribed by itself-through the officers commanding armies or departments. By attempting occasionally to regulate details in this department by direct orders, the Government can do little to reform, where reform is necessary, but will certainly impair discipline by bringing General Bragg's authority and mine into contempt.

I make this respectful remonstrance because the orders of the commander of this department at Atlanta have been set aside by the War Department, on which occasion, however, my intercession was not so fortunate as to be noticed.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

TULLAHOMA, April 22, 1863.

General MARTIN (through General Polk):

If not pressed, throw all your spare force in front of Wartrace and Manchester. Take command in person. Move at once. Acknowledge receipt.

By order of General Bragg:

W. W. MACKALL,

Chief of Staff.