Abstract from weekly report of the Central Army of Kentucky, Major-General Hardee, commanding, for January 14, 1862.

[Headquarters Bowling Green, Ky.]

Present for duty.

Infantry. Cavalry.

Troops. Officer Men. Officers Men.

s. .

1st (Hardee's) Division. 453 5,887 27 321

2nd (Buckner's) 467 6,990 45 477

Division.

3rd (Floyd's) Division. 94 1,536 - -

Bowen's brigade. 203 3,210 - -

Clark's brigade. 127 1,377 33 504

Lewis' brigade. 100 1,134 - -

Total. 1,444 20,134 105 1,302

Artillery.

Officer Men. Aggregat Aggrega

s. e te

Troops. present present

and

absent.

1st (Hardee's) Division. 10 216 6,914 11,135

2nd (Buckner's) 20 325 8,324 12,390

Division.

3rd (Floyd's) Division. 9 152 1,791 3,436

Bowen's brigade. 13 219 3,645 5,229

Clark's brigade. 6 158 2,205 3,712

Lewis' brigade. - - 1,234 1,692

Total. 58 1,070 24,113 37,592

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Columbus, Ky., January 15, 1862.

Major-General LOVELL, New Orleans:

SIR: I am in receipt of your letter of the 7th, on the subject of the return of the Third Mississippi Regiment Volunteers and the Thirteenth Louisiana, and I regret very much to find that events have placed both myself and you in a very embarrassing position in regard to them. In your letter of the 23rd of November you expressed a wish that as soon as you (I) are able to replace these regiments by others you will return them in pursuance of that wish. I have not failed to attempt a compliance with that request, and had General Johnston not felt himself so pressed as to make it necessary to draw on me for re-enforcements (about 5,000), I could have sent these regiments to you. Having no reason to believe at the time that force was sent forward that I should be called on very soon, perhaps not at all, for these regiments, I thought it proper to count on retaining them, at least until I could get relief elsewhere; therefore I regret to say I have been disappointed. My force, when the re-enforcement was sent to General Johnston, was reduced to a minimum, and it has not since been increased. The enemy in the mean time is within three hours of my position; has been concentrating a large force for an attack upon it, and, as my information is, has now about completed his plans of preparations for that purpose. To-day and to-morrow are the days fixed upon for that attack. I trust, therefore, that my call upon the Secretary of War to know if he could not relieve you by sending you other regiments will not be construed into the least indisposition on my part to restore them to your command, but only an effort through the proper department to secure relief to our common cause all around.

I have to say, in conclusion, that the first moment I can do so with safety to my position I will send this force to you with pleasure.

I remain, respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. POLK,

Major-General, Commanding.