rising ground and knolls along our line of battle. General Cox has been skirmishing a little with the enemy during the entire day. It is supposed that the enemy is now concentrating his infantry force at Mount Pleasant, or this side thereof, on the Mount Pleasant pike.

COLUMBIA, TENN.

November 25.- Have been strengthening our lines to-day. 12.15 p. m., received instructions from General Schofield to send a reconnaissance out on the Pulaski pike. The enemy's cavalry are now skirmishing with General Cox's troops on the Mount Pleasant pike. 4 p. m., the forces sent as a reconnaissance on the Pulaski pike returned. The enemy's cavalry in force was met about one mile beyond our picket-line. After considerable skirmishing they returned. 4.30 p. m., the enemy's cavalry now is in front of the whole line of this army, and is nowhere more than two miles off. 5 p. m., received Special Field orders, Numbers 64, headquarters Army of the Ohio, Columbia, Tenn., November 25, 1864, as follows.* 5.15 p. m., directed General Whitaker and General Wagner to move their divisions to the interior line as soon as practicable after dark, and General Wood to occupy all of the old line, covering the Pulaski pike. 10 p. m., the new and interior line occupied by Whitaker's and Wagner's divisions (First and Second, and they are now working upon them.

November 26.- 7 a. m., General Schofield received a telegram from General Thomas, dated Nashville, November 25, stating that he wished General S[chofield] to hold the north bank of Duck River if necessary to prevent Hood from crossing; to hold Hood on the south side of the river a few days until our forces can be concentrated, when we can take the offensive. He further states that General J. A. Smith's force ought to be at Nashville to-day (25th), and that he will at once send him to Murfreesborough if Hood moves toward the Chattanooga and Nashville Railroad. He has already ordered five of General R. S. Granger's regiments to that place, and will also order General Milroy to send all of his force (on railroad south of Murfreesborough) there. The enemy up to this time (12 m.) has shown only dismounted cavalry. 12.30 p. m., the enemy is approaching on the Mount Pleasant pike, and deploying on the left of the pike about one mile in front of our outer line. 2 p. m., so far as can be discovered the enemy has only deployed about one division of infantry and a small force of cavalry on the Mount Pleasant pike. The enemy's action in deploying such a small force, and in the character of his skirmishing to-day, indicates that he is only making a demonstration in our front, while he may be endeavoring to cross Duck River or operate over toward the Chattanooga railroad. It has been raining hard all day and Duck River is rising. 2.30 p. m., received instructions from General Schofield to move all of our trains, artillery, &c., over the river this afternoon (to the north bank), and to be prepared to move the infantry over after dark. 3 p. m., directed division commanders to send all of their trains, except then ambulances and five ammunition wagons, to the division over the river, at once, and to send the artillery at dusk; also, to be prepared to end the infantry over to-night-to move over the railroad and pontoon

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*For full text of orders (here omitted), see p. 1039.

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10 R R-VOL XLV, PT I