thrown out at distances of from 5 to 7 miles on the turnpike and roads to Glasgow and Brownsville.

A rumor reached me yesterday, just before leaving Oakland, that the enemy was crossing in large force at Brownsville that morning. I think it probable there were 75 or 100 cavalry sent over to reconnoiter.

I have no information of the movements of the enemy in my front.

The order of to-day, through General Hardee, to destroy railroad if your couriers report the enemy advancing, will be promptly executed.

Very respectfully,

T. C. HINDMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Bowling Green, Ky., November 27, 1861.

Major-General CRITTENDEN,

Commanding, Morristown, Tenn.:

General Johnston directs me to inform you that the territorial limits of your command are as follows: East and Middle Tennessee, bounded on the west by the railroad from Chattanooga to Nashville; thence up the Cumberland River to the Tennessee line, with such portion of Kentucky as you may any time hold.

Your forces will consist of those under the orders of General Zollicoffer and Carroll, the Georgia regiment lately sent into the department, and all volunteers arriving and being mustered in.

If you are satisfied that the late attack upon East Tennessee has failed and is now abandoned by the enemy, as it appears to us, and that his effort will now be made by this more direct route on Nashville, the general wishes you to detach and send to Nashville all the forces you can spare without endangering the safety of your district. The force of the enemy in front far outnumbers us, and his intention to advance no longer admits of a doubt.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. MACKALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,

Thirteen miles east of Monticello, November 27, 1861.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector-General, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: Two regiments cross the river to-day at Mill Springs to endeavor to cut off 800 or the enemy at Waitsborough, 9 miles above. A mail from Columbia to Monticello has been captured, by which we learn that there are two battalions of cavalry and two regiments of infantry at Columbia. They had heard of my advance and heard my force was 9,000. This they doubt, but think if it is true they will have to retreat for want of numbers. I learn that General Thomas is at Crab Orchard, but have no reliable intelligence of forces other than those of Columbia and Wainsborough. I have sent detachments of cavalry to examine the ferries at Burkesville and Creelsborough, 17 miles above Burkesville; also to get more particular information of the ferries and roads crossing at Dorothea Landing and Horse Shoe Bottom. It is not certain there is no enemy this side of the Cumberland. We have here an abundance