NASHVILLE, October 3, 1863-3 p.m.

General G. GRANGER:

McMinnville has been attacked; result not known. Telegraphic communication cut off. Have ordered scout from Murfreesborough to ascertain result, and have telegraphed facts to General Hooker.

R. S. GRANGER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS CHIEF OF CAVALRY, DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Island Ferry, October 3, 1863.

General GARFIELD,
Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: The party I sent to carry your dispatch to Colonel McCook directing him to move from Anderson's to Pikeville, started yesterday morning at 3 a.m. via Anderson's road, Corporal Fowler, Company D, Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, carrying the dispatch and being in charge of the party. They arrived at Anderson's yesterday morning between 8 and 9 a.m., but found that Colonel McCook had not arrived.

Shortly after their arrival the party heard firing at the foot of the mountain and shortly after heard firing farther down the valley. The party being thus surrounded, moved back to the foot of the mountain, and through the assistance of a citizen secreted themselves in a position where they could observe operations in the valley and on the side of the mountain, and not be discovered. They could see the enemy as they drove the Twenty-first Kentucky Infantry and a small detachment of cavalry off and fire the train. In order to succeed they had to dismount and attack the train dismounted. They saw four detachments, as near as they could judge, of about two regiments in each, in the valley. There was fighting going on for about two hours, from 9 to 11 a.m., when they commenced setting fire to the trains. They remained on the mountain till about 3 p.m., finding it impossible to return down the valley to communicate with Colonel McCook without being captured, when they started back in this direction. When they left, the enemy were drawn up in line of battle, fronting toward Bridgeport. The same citizen who had shown them a hiding place assisted them as guide across the mountain, coming in this direction. On their way back they found several hundred mules with their drivers secreted in a valley, and started them in this direction. From prisoners they learned that it was Wheeler's cavalry, and that they claimed to have two divisions of cavalry.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBT. B. MITCHELL,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, Near Dunlap, October 3, 1863-2 a.m.

Major W. H. SINCLAIR,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Cavalry Corps:

I reached Anderson's about 2 o'clock yesterday with part of Ray's brigade. The rebels had set fire to the train in the morning about