[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
December 3, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report for your information relative to the discharge of my duties as prescribed in special instructions accompanying Special Orders, Numbers 85, Adjutant and Inspector General's Department, Richmond, Va., that active operations of this army prevented me from accomplishing the object of my visit. I arrived at army headquarters April 24, and with an efficient staff officer, assigned to duty with me by General Jonston, I prosecuted with energy the completion of the rosters of the several organizations of this army, and but for movements of the enemy in front of Dalton, I should have finished my work within three or four weeks. Owing to the loss of records in many of the regiments, and the depletion of regiments which have been united by orders of generals in the field, I have found the task of getting up such a roster as required by the department much more difficult than I anticipated. I have procured the rosters of twenty-four or twenty-five regiments, and, to make them as correct as possible, gave them my personal attention. I have on three occasions notified the Department of my progress and the difficulties attending a further prosecution of the work during the campaign. All papers and records having been sent to the rear as soon as active operations commenced, it has since been impossible to furnish a roster that will obviate the present difficulties in the Department as to who are officers and the date of their election or promotion, & c. I have been careful to instruct brigade inspectors to report all official changes in regiments, and to impress upon them the necessity of having a correct roster in the Department. I remained with the main army until 8th of August, when I went to Athens, Ga., to give my personal attention to the preparation of the rosters of Williams' brigade, the assistant adjutant-general to whom I had given instructions having been killed. The day after my arrival, and before instructions could be given, the brigade moved to the enemy's rear, and not knowing its destination, I went with it, and was not, owing to its isolation from the balance of the army, able to return to army headquarters for about sixty days. Upon rejoining the army I found brigade inspectors still unable to furnish me the rosters, and so informed the Department. I made this statement frequently to Colonel E. J. Harvie, inspector-general of this army, who is aware of the difficulties attending the execution of my orders. General Hood, appreciating the difficulties, desires that I will not interfere with the duties of his officers during the campaign. The blanks which I brought with me to the army I have given to brigade inspectors to be filled up as directed. Those which have been completed are deposited in the safe of W. B. and A. B. Bell, Montgomery, Ala.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. H. HAYS,

Major and Assistant Inspector-General.

Colonel J. P. JOHNSON,

Assistant Inspector-General.