On the morning of the 16th, the leading division of General Howard's column, commanded by General Charles R.Woods, carried Ship's Gap, taking prisoners part of the Twenty-fourth South Carolina Regiment, which had been left there to hold us in check.
The best information there obtained located Hood's army at Lafayette, near which place I hoped to catch him and force him to battle; but, by the time we had got enough troops across the mountain at Ship's Gap, Hood had escaped down the valley of the Chattooga, and all we could do was to follow him as closely as possible.

From Ship's Gap I dispatched couriers to Chattanooga, and received word back that General Schofield was there, endeavoring to cooperate with me, but Hood had broken up the telegraph, and thus had prevented quick communication.

General Schofield did not reach me till the army had got down to Gaylesville, about the 21st of October.
It was at Ship's Gap that a courier brought me the cipher message from General Halleck which intimated that the authorities in Washington were willing I should undertake the march across Georgia to the sea.

The translated dispatch named "Horse-i-bar Sound" as the point where the fleet would await my arrival.

After much time I construed it to mean, "Ossabaw Sound," below Savannah, which was correct.
On the 16th I telegraphed to General Thomas, at Nashville: Send me Morgan's and Newton's old divisions.