in every assault along the whole line. Our loss, as given by General Schofield in his reported transmitted herewith (and to which I respectfully refer), is, 189 killed, 1,033 wounded, and 1,104 missing, making an aggregate of 2,326. We captured and sent to Nashville 702 prisoners, including 1 general officer, and 33 stand of colors. Major General D. S. Stanley, commanding Fourth Corps, was severely wounded at Franklin whilst engaged in rallying a portion of his command which had been temporarily overpowered by an overwhelming attack of the enemy. At the time of the battle the enemy's loss was known to be severe, and was estimated at 5,000. The exact figures were only obtained, however, on the reoccupation of Franklin by our forces, after the battles of December 15 and 16, at Brentwood Hills, near Nashville, and are given as follows: Buried upon the field, 1,750; disabled and placed in hospital at Franklin, 3,800, which with the 702 prisoners already reported makes and aggregate loss to Hood's army of 6, 252, among whom were 6 general officers killed, 6 wounded, and 1 captured. The important results of the signal cannot be too highly appreciated, for it not only seriously checked the enemy's advance, and gave General Schofield time to remove his troops and all his property to Nashville, but it also caused deep depression among the men of Hood's army, making them doubly cautions in their subsequent movements.

Not willing to risk a renewal of the battle on the morrow,and having accomplished the object of the day's operations viz, to cover the withdrawal of his trains, General Schofield, by my advice and direction, fell back during the night to Nashville, in front of which city line of battle was formed by noon of the 1st of december, on the heights immediately surrounding Nashville,with Major General A. J. Smith's command occupying the right his right resting on the Cumberland River, below the city; the Fourth Corps (Brigadier General T. J. Wood temporarily in command) in the center; and General Schofields' troops (Twenty-third Army Corps) on the left, extending to Nolensvile pike. The cavalry, under General Wilson, was directed to take post on the left of General Schofield which would make secure the interval between his left and the river above the city.

General Steedman's troops reached Nashville about dark on the evening of the 1st of December, taking up a position about a mile in advance of the left center of the main line, and the left of the Nolensville pike. This position being regarded as too much exposed, was changed on the 3rd, when, the cavalry having been directed to take post on the north side of the river at Edgefield, General Steedman occupied the space on the left of the line vacated by its withdrawal. During the afternoon of the 24th the enemy's cavalry, in small parties, engaged our skirmishers, but it was only on the afternoon of the 3rd that his infantry made its appearance, when, crowding our skirmishers, he commenced to establish his main line, which on the morning of the 4th, we found he had succeeded in doing, with his salient on the summit of Montgomery Hill, within 600 yards of our center, his main line occupying the high ground on the southeast side of Brown's Creek, and extending from the Nolensville pike-his extreme right -across the Franklin and Granny White pikes, in a westerly direction to the hills south and southwest of Richland Creek, and down that creek to the Hillsborough pike, with cavalry, extending from both his flanks to the river. Artillery was opened on him from several points on the line, without electing any response.

The block-house the at railroad crossing of Overall's Creek, five miles north of Murfreesborough was attacked by Bate's division, of Cheat