NASHVILLE, February 6, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I take the liberty of inclosing an article in relation to East Tennessee, to which I beg to call you attention. From all I have been able to learn since my return, I think it gives a fair account of matters in that distressed region of our State.

I have not yet seen General Grant since his arrival here, but shall try to do so as soon as I can. Things are bad enough, God knows, but there is great danger that they will soon get worse.

I am very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HORACE MAYNARD.

[Inclosure.]

AFFAIRS IN EAST TENNESSEE.

(From the Cincinnati Gazette.)

It is time to comment on the real character of the whole management in East Tennessee, and to look beyond the eclat of the first fortunate dash for the evidence of that military ability, foresight, and providence which were requisite to insure success and permanent occupation. The expedition has lacked these from the first. General Burnside's movement was long delayed by the detachment of his corps to aid Grant at Vicksburg, and when it was made, there was not a provident accumulation of supplies for the expedition. It went without such preparation. unfortunately, General Burnside had made up his mind to withdraw from the service on the prestige of his successful days. He tendered his resignation immediately. under such expectation a commander would not be likely to take energetic measures for pushing his advantage, gathering supplies for the winter, fortifying and securing the supplies the country afforded. The Confederate have found that country of great importance to them for supplies. It has not been made so to us. The result was that our troops have hardly had full rations at any time, and as soon as winter set in they were reduced to half, then quarter rations, and their animals were disabled by want of forage, and died off rapidly.

Besides the misfortunes of a commander who wished to reap his laurels and leave before completing his work, too much time and attention were wasted in politically restoring the Union and giving audience to dubious inhabitants, and too little to military necessities.

It is yet a mystery why, when General Sherman marched his force into East Tennessee and reported it to General Burnside, his ranking officer, something was not done by his adequate force to capture or drive out Longstreet. But Sherman's corps marched up and marched down, and Lonsgstreet, at his leisure, returned to his mutton-the siege of Knoxville. Immediately, we find the enemy in possession of all the good faraging country and our forces confined to a narrow range, growing narrower by the loss of their horses by the loss of the forage.

Under General Foster things have gone from bat to worse. It is probably that we have generals in the West competent for that command,