Camp Nelson for rations, which applications have not been replied to until after my arrival.

I believe 100 head of cattle will be here in two days from Camp Nelson.

The country around here is so entirely eaten out of everything that I had to send forage train (with guard of infantry and cavalry) 22 miles from here, in the direction of Jackson, to try to get forage and meal, flour, and bacon for the troops at this post.

To recruit the deficiency of the troops and to diminish the consumption of forage, I have ordered all unserviceable and inferior horses to be turned over to the quartermaster of this post, by him to be sent to the rear, and authorized Colonel Love, commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Cavalry Corps, to dismount the Twenty-seventh Kentucky mounted Infantry, and turn all the horses over to the Eleventh Kentucky Mounted infantry. I have also ordered the commanding officer of the Second North Carolina Mounted Infantry to have all the horses of his regiment (probably 30 in all) turned over to Colonel Love's cavalry brigade.

In my opinion a few mounted men in a regiment only tend to demoralize the remainder, create confusion, and cause straggling, to the injury of the service and the annoyance of the citizens. When I passed through the country here, previous to my arrival here, I met an almost continuous stream of stragglers, principally belonging to Tennessee regiments.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. T. GARRARD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District of the Clinch.

CHATTANOOGA, TENN., January 27, 1864-10 p. m.

(Received 1.20 a. m., 28th.)

Major-General HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Colonel Boone, with a force of 450 men (Twenty-eight Kentucky Mounted Infantry and Fourth Michigan Cavalry), left Rossville January 21; moved through mcLemore's Cove,a nd crossed Lookout Mountain into Broomtown Valley; thence across Taylor's Ridge to 8 miles beyond Dirt Town, toward Dalton,a nd attacked a camp of home guards, Colonel Culbersun commanding, routing them, destroying camp, considerable number of arms and other property, and returned to camp without any casualties in his force. Friday, January 22, sent a flag of truce, under Colonel Burke, Tenth Ohio Infantry, with rebel surgeons, and a proposition to exchange our wounded at Atlanta for rebel wounded here. Messenger form Colonel Burke returned for rations Monday morning, January 25, having left the party the day before 10 miles below La Fayette, still going forward, not having met any rebel pickets. I shall send an expedition toward Dalton to-morrow, and ascertain if the rebels have fallen back from there, as reported.

A dispatch from Colonel A. O. Miller, Seventy-second Indiana, commanding division, dated Blue Water, 26th, via Pulaski, 27th, says:

Johnson's brigade, of Roddey's command, crossed the Tennessee River at Bainbridge, 3 miles above, and Newport ferry, 6 miles below Florence, intending to make a junction with a brigade of infantry which was expected to cross the river