OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [CHAP.XII.

best disposition of your forces is to leave the Tennesseeans and Colonel Garrard in a kind of ambush near Rockcastle River and draw back of Danville the balance. Establish communication with Bramlette and Wolford and with the other Kentucky regiments, such as Bruce's and Barnes'.

Have all these things planned, and defer the execution of them till you know from the direction of Greenville and Campbellsville and Lebanon that my conjecture is right.

Nelson has succeeded in breaking up Williams' party, and I will direct him to return as rapidly as possible towards Paris and Lexington.

I have furnished arms and saddles to the cavalry company attached to Barnes' regiment because you will need them. Wolford's cavalry has been supplied, but I have not kept memoranda of the issues, and can't say if they are completely armed or not.

There is one incomplete Kentucky regiment (Harlan's) at Lebanon; one at New Haven, with a good Indiana regiment.

The bulk of our force here is under McCook, with a brigade on the Ohio at its nearest point under Colonel Hazzard.

The railroad is so exposed that I am compelled to guard it with a strong force, and even then am hourly apprehensive of some devilish destruction.

If the movement be made in force, our effort should be to concentrate before they reach the neighborhood of Danville.

We cannot trust the telegraph, but when I telegraph to Nicholasville, "Your application by letter is granted," you will understand that my conjectures are correct. When I telegraph it is denied, then my inference is wrong.

We find it impossible to penetrate their designs, except I know their force is very large and they have pressed in all the wagons from several counties, for which they could have no other use than what I name.

Yours,

W.T. SHERMAN, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS, Louisville, November 14,1861. (Received at 4.20 p.m.)

To General THOMAS, Crab Orchard:

Your application [by letter] is granted.

W.T. SHERMAN, Brigadier-General.

CRAB ORCHARD, KY., November 12,1861.

General W.T. SHERMAN, Commanding Department of the Cumberland, Louisville, Ky.:

GENERAL: Your dispatch received. I will give orders at once for a retrograde move, but I am sure the enemy are not moving between us. All my information indicates that they are moving south.

I send this by Lieutenant Jones, Second Regiment Kentucky Volunteers, who will take back any orders you may have for me.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. H. THOMAS, Brigadier-General, U.S. Volunteers.