This report and a determination to give the enemy no rest determined me to use his surplus troops elsewhere.
Thomas is still left with a sufficient force surplus to go to Selma under an energetic leader.

He has been telegraphed to, to know whether he could go, and, if so, which of the several routes he would select.
No reply is yet received.

Canby has been ordered to act offensively from the sea-coast to the interior, towards Montgomery and Selma.
Thomas's forces will move from the north at an early day, or some of his troops will be sent to Canby.

Without further reinforcements Canby will have a moving column of twenty thousand men.
Fort Fisher, you are aware, has been captured.

We have a force there of eight thousand effective.