Last evening the signal corps appearing on Lookout Rock, I directed Captain Aleshire to drive them off. The third shell exploded among them; it was distinctly visible. No more signals were given up to night where they could be seen from Fort Whitaker. Lookouts have been established as directed.

Respectfully,

W. C. WHITAKER,

Brigadier-General, Comdg. First Brigade, First Division.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Nashville, Tenn., October 10, 1863.

Major General GORDON GRANGER:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report to you that I have made the best possible disposition of the limited force at my command, to guard the road from this place to Murfreesborough. As soon as I ascertained that the enemy was moving in the direction of the railroad, I made a requisition on Major-General Slocum for troops. I obtained on my earnest solicitation 900 and sent them at once, under command of Brigadier-General Ward, to Murfreesborough. I also strengthened every point between here and Murfreesborough, with all the available force at my command, sending a section of artillery to La Vergne, and a section to Stewart's Creek, and one piece to Stockades Nos. 1 and 2 each, on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. It was impossible with my force to guard any potion of the road beyond Murfreesborough.

No portion of the troops of my division having been relieved by the command of Major-General Slocum, on the evening of the 4th instant I made a requisition on Major-General Hooker for a regiment, which, if it could have been furnished, would have been sufficient to have protected the bridge near Murfreesborough. I also, by permission of Major-General Slocum, at 10 p.m., ordered Colonel Coburn with his regiment to Murfreesborough, but owing to his regiment being scattered at water-tanks and other places,it could not be gotten ready in time to reach Murfreesborough before daylight next morning. I therefore countermanded the order, apprehensive that the command and train would fall into the hands of the enemy, whom I had information would reach the road by daylight, which information afterward proved true.

I to-night ordered the One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois to rejoin the command at Franklin and Columbia. They will leave shortly. This was done on information sent by General Mitchell, that Wheeler had divided his forces, moving himself with one column in the direction of Franklin.

Mizner reports that he will move to-morrow into redoubt he has constructed on a hill which commands Columbia,and which he thinks he can hold against a greatly superior force. I thought it myself advisable to withdraw Mizner from Franklin, but did not feel myself at liberty to do so, as I had no instructions to the bridge newly constructed on that road, or why Colonel Mizner was kept on that position.

I have placed five companies at Mancoe's Creek, and one piece of artillery, and have sent three companies to General Paine, who is weakened by detachments sent to Carthage to escort the train with stores from that station to Gallatin. To replace the detachments