3. I do not feel at liberty, so long as he is on the ground, fully advised of the movements of the enemy and acquainted with his means of resistance, to anticipate his wants, were this possible.

A. S. JOHNSTON,

General.

Abstract from return of troops at Columbus, Ky., for the week ending January 7, 1862, Major General Leonidas Polk, commanding.

Present for duty.

Officers Men. Aggregat Aggregat

e e

Troops. present present

and

absent.

1st Division 295 3,963 4,258 6,519

2nd Division 252 2,984 3,236 5,149

3rd Division 203 2,752 2,955 4,589

Fort Columbus 119 1,462 1,581 2,418

Total 869 11,161 12,030 18,675

Weekly return of the command of Brigadier General F. K. Zollicoffer, Camp Beech Grove, Ky.

Officer Rank Aggrega

s and te

Troops. present file present

for present and

duty. for absent.

duty

Colonel W. B. Wood, Sixteenth 22 356 880

Alabama Regiment.

Colonel W. S. Statham, Fifteenth 34 820 1,025

Mississippi Regiment.

Colonel T. W. Newman, Seventeenth 31 307 920

Tennessee Regiment.

Colonel D. H . Cummings, 31 645 973

Nineteenth Regiment.

Colonel S. A. Battle, Twentieth 32 662 916

Tennessee Regiment.

Colonel S. S. Stanton, Twenty- 30 653 949

fifth Tennessee Regiment.

Colonel S. Powell, Twenty-ninth 31 462 854

Tennessee Regiment.

Colonel J. P. Murray, Twenty- 44 704 892

eighth Tennessee Regiment.

Lieutenant-Colonel McNairy, First 15 197 329

Battalion Tennessee

Lieutenant-Colonel Brazelton, two 6 133 169

companies of Third Battalion

Tennessee

Lieutenant-Colonel Branner, Fourth 22 314 580

Battalion Tennessee.

Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan, five 18 297 469

companies Fifth Tennessee.

Captain T. C. Sanders' independent 4 67 101

cavalry company.

Captain W. S. Bledsoe's 4 80 97

independent cavalry company

Captain A. M. Rutledge's artillery 5 135 157

company.

Captain H. L. W. McClung's 4 79 106

artillery company.

333 6,111 9,417

For the week ending January 7, 1862.

F. K. ZOLLICOFFER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Bowling Green, Ky., January 8, 1862.

(Received January 15, 1862.)

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War:

SIR: The calls made upon the Government from every assailable point on our frontier for additional force would make me hesitate to add to your embarrassment by asking for re-enforcements, were the