OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [CHAP.XII.

try. I have returned with my regiment to this place. I agreed to pay the steamboat &100 for the two days' trip and carrying 650 men.

I find on my return to this place General W. H. Carroll, with three Tennessee regiments and a company of artillery with guns. In my opinion 500 infantry or one regiment here for instruction, encamped at Tyner's 15 miles from the city, where two bridges were burned on the railroad, and where the soldiers will get no whisky, and one company of good mounted riflemen, can keep this part of the country perfectly quiet. They can also guard the Government provisions at this point.

General Carroll has just informed me that he will move a part of his command over to Sequatchie Valley and make a demonstration there, and then move on with all but one regiment to Knoxville. I most respectfully suggest that, if not needed here any longer, my regiment may be ordered back to the command of General Bragg, or I may be placed in charge of this os, with some rank and instructions that will enable me to control matters at this point for the interest of the Government. I have the honor to refer to an application I have made to the War Department. I find the citizens here have confidence in my movements, and I also find, with great respect for the present superior officers, that I have been much longer in the service and have been trained in a different school from any of these men. I am now really the commander of these forces, and refer to the recommendation of General Bragg in sending me here, and to what you will hear from him in a few days as to my qualifications.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

S. A. M. WOOD, Colonel Seventh Regiment, Alabama Volunteers.

CHATTANOOGA, November 17, 1861.

Major-General BRAGG, Pensacola, Fla.:

DEAR SIR AND GENERAL: I have the honor to report to you for your information the following with regard to the Seventh Regiment: We arrived at this place on Thursday, at 5 o'clock. I came through and arrived on Thursday morning, but the burning of the bridge forced the regiment around by Cleveland, where I met it at 11 o'clock, and came down with it. At Cleveland I arranged with Colonel W. B. Wood by telegraph to make a joint movement on the forces of the insurgents, and ordered him to proceed by way of Cottonport and Decatur to their camp ground on Sale Creek. I also ordered 300 mounted Home Guards, under Colonels Gillespie and Tibbs, accompanied by a lieutenant of my command, to move in two parties across the river, one to cross at daylight Friday morning 8 miles above where my regiment would cross and the other 8 miles below me. Between sundown and 11 o'clock Thursday night the Seventh Regiment prepared rations for three days, and I chartered a steamboat for three days for $100, and put the whole regiment on it. At daylight we landed 27 miles from this place and 9 miles from the camp of the traitors. Column was formed, skirmishers thrown out, and we marched through, detaining men, women, and negroes, as we went on, to prevent any information to the enemy. We arrived at the camp ground (formerly a Cumberland Presbyterian camp meeting place) at 11 o'clock. A body of 300 mounted Home Guards reached the camp ground from Rhea County fiver minutes before us, land had advanced 200 yards towards us in a lane. In some houses near there a large number of women, seeing our approach, were screaming,