will be troops passing through Nashville every day for the next two months sufficient to defend it from any attack it will be likely to receive. The necessity for moving any part of the Twelfth Corps in that direction is not appreciated.

JOSEPH HOOKER,

Major-General, Commanding.

A.

HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CORPS,
Lookout Valley, Tenn., February 9, 1864.

Major-General BUTTERFIELD,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Herewith you will receive a copy of a communication from the major-general commanding the department, relating to the movement of the First Brigade of Ward's division from Nashville to its corps. Also three letters from Generals Rousseau, Granger, and Ward, relating to the same subject. Please read the contents, also the endorsements thereon, and proceed without delay to confer in person with Generals Rousseau, Ward, and Granger, regarding the condition of their commands, for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the brigade in question can be sent to the front at this time without injury to the service.

Report the result of your inquiry and observation as early as practicable.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH HOOKER,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure No. 1.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Chattanooga, February 8, 1864.

Major-General HOOKER,

Commanding Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps:

GENERAL: Inclosed herewith I have the honor to transmit certain papers concerning the movement of General Ward's brigade to the front, or, rather, concerning the effort made to remove it to the front.

The major-general commanding desires that you will, if possible, ascertain whether the brigade in question could be brought to the front without injury to the public service or not. Please return the papers after you have finished with them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure No. 2.]

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Nashville, Tenn., January 30, 1864.

Captain B. H. POLK,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Special Field Orders, No. 24, paragraph XIV, headquarters Department of the Cumberland, has been received. I beg leave to suggest that an equal number of troops will be necessary to relieve this command.