[Inclosure.]

Several citizens from Cocke County, near Parrottsville, who left there yesterday, came to my camp to-day. From them I learned that Longstreet commenced the construction of a pontoon early last week at the Briar Thickets, 3 miles from the Chucky (south side), on the road leading from Morristown to Paint Rock; that day before yesterday a dispatch came to the men in charge to move to the saw-mill at Parrottsville (where they prepared to take the stuff already made yesterday) and to go on with the work. The citizens think the pontoons will be thrown across the Chucky at Easterly's Ferry, 3 miles from Parrottsville on the road to Warrensburg. This is also the road leading to Paint Rock and Warm Springs. The French Broad River is now filled with floating ice, and is not fordable or ferry able.

The rebel cavalry will have to leave East Tennessee for lack of forage, if they are not permitted to get the corn at Beaver Dam and elsewhere on this side of the river.

The bearer is trustworthy. Please send me word by him of our forces.

JANUARY 10-16, 1864.-Expedition from Vicksburg, Miss., to Sunnyside Landing, Ark.

Itinerary of the Third Brigade, Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, Brigadier General Jasper A. Maltby, U. S. Army, commanding, for January, 1864.*

January 10, the brigade embarked on steamers Madison, Era, and Northerner, and proceeded up the Mississippi River to Sunnyside Landing, 200 miles, to disperse rebel forces that were obstructing navigation, and said to be attempting to cross arms and munitions from the east to the west side. It having been ascertained at Sunnyside that there were no rebel troops on either side of the river within reach of infantry forces, the expedition was abandoned and the brigade returned, reaching Vicksburg on the 16th. The brigade has been in camp at Vicksburg the balance of the month.

JANUARY 11, 1864.-Scout to Lexington, Tenn.

Report of Colonel Isaac R. Hawkins, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry.

PARIS TENN.,

January 14, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that up to last evening I remained at Huntington. On the 11th I detached 100 men and sent them to Lexington. They captured some prisoners, and killed 1 guerrilla in the very act of robbing. Captain Beatty brings the intelligence that the Confederates are rapidly concentrating at Jackson; they have for some days been in considerable force near Trezevant, and

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*From monthly return.

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