if you see an opportunity, lose not a day. The enemy will profit more by it than you will. You will be superior in artillery, at any rate, I suppose.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. C. BUELL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. FIRST DIV., DEPT. OF THE OHIO,
Camp near Webb's Cross Roads, Ky., January 13, 1862.

Brigadier General D. C. BUELL,

Commanding Department of the Ohio, Louisville, Ky.:

GENERAL: After two days of the hardest work I have reached this place, 16 miles from Columbia, with the advance brigade of my division; the provision and ammunition train, with a portion of our brigade, is still in the rear, and will probably not reach here to-night.

The road, which has been represented as good, is the worst I ever saw, and the recent rains have made it one continuous quagmire from Columbia to this place.

We are still 17 miles from the position of the enemy by the shooters road, viz, that across the headwaters of the Wolf Creek, leaving Harrison to the left. This road is represented by my scouts as much worse than the roads the command has already passed over.

It is next to impossible to procure either forage or subsistence in the country, and entirely impracticable to haul either over the road at this season of the year. It is therefore necessary to do one of two things-either to go to Jamestown and eventually down the river to Burkesville, thereby cutting off all communication between Mill Springs and Nashville by the river, or work way by this road to Somerset and join General Schoepf. We can never get supplies in any other way. Should my division proceed on to Somerset it would b impossible to get down the river by the road on this side during the winter; and as Schoepf's force is sufficient to keep the enemy in check, I would respectfully suggest that the troops now with me proceed at once to Jamestown and available in any operations in the direction of Bowling Green.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Brigadier-General U. S. Army, Commanding.

HDQRS. FIRST DIV., DEPT. OF THE OHIO,
Camp at Webb's Cross-Road, Ky., January 13, 1862.

Brigadier-General SCHOEPF,

Commanding at Somerset:

GENERAL: I received yours of the 11th to-day, by Captain Hall. When I last wrote you I was in hopes of being near Somerset by this time, but the heavy rains have injured the roads so much that it will be impossible to say now when I can be in your vicinity. We have already been three days in making 16 miles, and our ammunition and provisions are far behind now-probably will not be up to-morrow night. Should I ever succeed in getting near you, I will send a messenger to let you know. I wrote to General Buell fiver days since sub