camp, that Hood has 40,000 infantry strong and 15,000 cavalry. General Hatch will move for Columbia via Champbellsville, to cover our column on the march. 7 p. m., our head of column reaches Lynnville, twelve miles from Pulaski. The trains, artillery, and rear of the infantry column did not reach this place until 11 p. m. The troops here bivouac for the night. The enemy is now supposed to be nearer Columbia by one day's march tan our column.

LYNNVILLE, TENN.

November 24.- 1 a. m., Major-General Schofield, who is in Lynnville, sends word to General Stanley that he has just heard from Colonel Capron, commanding brigade cavalry, that the enemy's cavalry (and a small amount of infantry) has driven him back to and through Mount Pleasant toward Columbia. His dispatch dated about 9 p. m. Mount Pleasant is but twelve miles from Columbia, and there is a good turnpike between these places; Lynnville is eighteen miles from Columbia, and turnpike thence. 1 a. m., General Schofield directs the Fourth Corps to march for Columbia at 3 a. m. Cox's division, of the Twenty-third Corps (all of said corps now with Schofield), is in camp eleven miles from Lynnville and seven from Columbia. This division has also been directed to march for Columbia at 3 a. m. There is no force in Columbia but about 800 of our infantry, under command of General Ruger. The rest of General Ruger's division is scattered on the Tennessee River and Duck Creek. General R[uger] commands a division of the Twenty-third Corps (Schofield's). 3 a. m., the corps started for Columbia in order as follows: Second Division (which was in camp at Lynnville when we arrived there) leading; Third Division following; then the Artillery Brigade; then the trains; then the First Division. 9 a. m., head of column three miles of Columbia. Firing heard on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike, very near to Columbia. 10.05, head of column (Second Division) reaches Columbia. About the same time a regiment of the enemy's cavalry make an attempt to dash upon our artillery as it is moving along the road. It came from the direction of the Mount Pleasant pike over a cross-road leading therefrom to the road upon which our column is moving. General Wood sent out a regiment of infantry (Colonel Knefler's) and drove the enemy back, killing a few. General Cox's division crossed over to the Mount Pleasant pike early this morning by a cross-road three miles out of Columbia. He reached that pike just in time to save Colonel Capron's brigade of cavalry from annihilation, as it was being driven rapidly into Columbia by a largely superior force of cavalry. General Cox checked the enemy and drove them back a short distance. This also prevented th enemy from getting into Columbia before the Second Division, Fourth Corps-the head of our column. As fast as the divisions of the Fourth Corps arrive in columbia they go into position in line of battle and thrown up barricades and breast-works. 6 p. m., our line of battle as follows: The Second Division, General Wagner, on the right, connecting with the left of Cox's division (Cox's division about one mile west of the town, covering the Mount Pleasant pike, and its right resting on Duck River); the third Division, General Wood, on the left of General Wagner's, its right connecting with General Wagner's left, on the Pulaski pike, and facing almost south; the First Division, General Whitaker, on Wood's left, the right of the division connecting with Wood's left and the left of the division resting near the river, east of the town, the division facing almost southeast; the artillery of the corps in planted on the