I await anxiously permission to march to Somerset, where I have just been informed Zollicoffer has been engaging a small Federal force.

Colonel J. P. T. Carter left this morning for the headquarters of this department at Louisville, to see if he can obtain arms for the recruits of his regiment.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. P. CARTER,

Acting Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS CAMP GOGGIN, December 4, 1861.

(Received December 5, 1861-3 a. m.)

Brigadier General GEORGE H. THOMAS,
Commanding Eastern Division:

GENERAL: According to your instructions to keep you informed of the movements of the enemy, I do so new.

From information just received (1 p. m.) from a captain of the Thirty-eight Ohio, who was on picket west of me, I learned that the enemy, two regiments of infantry and one battery strong, beat the reveille at 3 o'clock morning; he heard the train moving in a southwesterly direction, and also heard commands given distinctly.

I have no doubt they are moving towards Mill Springs. A negro man who came from the other side this morning informs me that they had constructed a large number of boats on Meadow Creek, opposite Mill Springs, with the intention to cross at that place. Being certain that they are not going to cross here, I ordered the whole battery to Mill Springs. I will order the Thirty-eight Ohio-morrow morning to Somerset, to be in readiness to move either to this place or to Mill Springs, where it should be most needed, the distance to either place being only 6 miles.

I will proceed to mill Springs to-morrow; am only waiting to get more reliable information with regard to their movements here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. SCHOEF,

Brigadier-General.

WASHINGTON, 5th [December, 1861.?]

General D. C. BUELL:

MY DEAR BUELL: I have only before the mail closes to acknowledge your of the 30th. Give me at once detail your views as to the number and amount of gunboats necessary for the water movement, the necessary land forces, &c. Would not C. F. Smith be a good man to command that part of the expedition? When should they move?

Pray do not abandon the Pickesville [Piketon] region. I consider it important to hold that line; your supplies can go by water to Prestonburg. I will also re-enforce the Guyandotte region at once. Let me again urge the necessary of sending something into East Tennessee as promptly as possible. Our friends have thrown their all into the scale, and we must not desert them. I tell the East Tennessee men here to rest quiet, that you will take care of them and will never desert them. I ordered to-day two fully armed regiments of cavarly to join you from Camp Dennison. Will send you some more infantry from the Northwest in a day or two.