NEAR COLUMBIA, TENN., NORTH OF DUCK RIVER.

November 28.- 5 a. m., the last of our pickets cross the railroad to the north side of Duck River. The pontoon boats are scuttled and the ends of the railroad bridge burned. 6.30 a. m., the enemy's skirmishers come down to the bank of the river at the railroad bridge and fords. 7 a. m., the Fourth Corps marches to the Franklin pike and go into line of battle on the north side of Duck River, about two miles and a half from Columbia, facing the town, General Wood on the left of the pike, General Kimball (commanding First Division, having relieved General Whitaker) on the right of the pike, his left resting on the pike, General Wagner's left connecting with General Kimball's right, and his right resting on Rutherford's Creek. Opposite General Wagner's right (that is, across Rutherford's Creek) rests General Ruger's left-Ruger's division, of the Army of the Ohio. General Ruger's division covers the crossing at the railroad bridge. Just in front of Wood's and Kimball's divisions is General Cox's division (Army of the Ohio), which covers the crossing of the river at the Franklin pike. The enemy opened [on] us with artillery fire from Columbia, but the distance is too great to do any damage. Cox's artillery replies. The enemy's infantry has been firing at our pickets across the river during the day, and our pickets have been returning the fire. 3 p. m., Colonel capron reports to General Schofield that his brigade of cavalry was driven back from the ford eleven miles north of Columbia this afternoon, and that some of the enemy's infantry has crossed to the north side of the river at that point. 5.15 p. m., Colonel Streight (commanding General Wood's left, or reserve, brigade) reports that the enemy has succeed in crossing two regiments of cavalry over the river a short distance beyond his left; that our cavalry pickets there stationed were driven back. Orders were at once sent to Colonel Streight to drive this cavalry back. 5.40 p. m., sent word to General Streight at once to attack and drive back the enemy's cavalry that has crossed above him. 5.45 p. m., directed General Kimball to send his reserve brigade to Rutherford's Creek, where it crosses the Franklin pike in our rear, at once, to cover our trains on the other side of the same, and for it to take position to the east of the pike. 6 p. m., general Thomas sends a telegram to General Schofield, stating that he thinks General J. A. Smith will be in Nashville in three days, and that if he cannot fight the enemy near Columbia-that is, prevent them from crossing Duck River-to fall back to the north bank of the Harpeth River, at Franklin, and that he will bring up all of his forces to that point, where and when he will be able to fight Hood. 8 p. m., received instructions from General Schofield to send a party a short distance up the river, from our left, to see whether anything can be seen of the enemy. General Wilson, commanding cavalry, reports that the enemy has crossed his cavalry at several fords above us-upstream. 9 p. m., it is too dark for General Wood to send Streight up the river to look for the cavalry that has crossed above us-the two regiments that Colonel Streight reports as having crossed- but General Wood has sent 150 men about one mile beyond his left flank, up the river, to observe the enemy.

November 29.- 7.30 a. m., General Schofield sends word that it is reported by General Wilson that the enemy has laid a pontoon bridge over the river about five miles east of us, beyond our left flank, up the river, and he wishes General Stanley to send two divisions to Spring Hill, eight miles in our rear, on the Franklin pike, to check the enemy, if he approaches that point, until the force here can withdraw and move