OPERATIONS AROUND MURFREESBOROUGH.

On the morning of the 2nd of December, as my command was moving from Franklin, Tenn., in the direction of Nashville, I received the following order, made official and inclosed to me by Major-General Cheatham, commanding corps:

HEADQUARTERS, Near Franklin, December 2, 1864-7 a. m.

General Hood directs that you will send Bate's division, with one battery of artillery, over to Murfreesborough, and direct them to destroy the railroad from Murfreesborough to Nashville, burning all the bridges and taking the block-houses and then burning them.

A. P. MASON,
Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

Colonel B. J. Hill was ordered to co-operate with me, who had about 150 cavalry. My command consisted of Jackson's, Tyler's (commanded by Brigadier General T. B. Smith) and Finley's brigades (commanded by Colonel Robert Bullock), and Slocomb's battery (commanded by Lieutenant Chalaron), all not exceeding in number 1,600 men. I moved my command on the direct road from Franklin to Triune, thence on the Nolensville turnpike to the most practicable road leading across the country to the terminus of the Wilkinson turnpike, some seven miles from Murfreesborough. I learned here that Murfreesborough, instead of being evacuated, as was supposed and as the nature of my order led me to believe, was occupied by a strong force, estimated from 6,000 to 10,000, commanded by Major-General Rousseau, which fact I reported to army headquarters on the morning of the 4th. I received that night the following communication from General Hood:

HEADQUARTERS, Overton's House, Six Miles from Nashville, December 2, 1864.

Major-General BATE:

GENERAL: General Hood directs me to say that citizens report some 5,000 Yankees at Murfreesborough. General Forrest will send some of his cavalry to assist you. You must act according to your judgment under the circumstances, keeping in view the object of your expedition, viz, to destroy the railroad. This report is sent you for what it is worth.

Yours, respectfully,
A. P. MASON,

Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

At 7 a. m. I moved my command by the left flank diagonally across the country from the Wilkinson to the Nashville and Murfreesborough turnpike, striking the latter on the Nashville side of Overall's Creek, five miles and a half from Murfreesborough. The object of going to Overall's Creek was to get between the enemy and Nashville, that I might not be cut off by his superior force, and if pressed, could fall back to the main army. It also put me in position to execute the order which I was cautioned by General Hood to keep in view, viz, "to destroy the railroad." This position also made my force a protection to the right wing of the army. Colonel Hill's command was ordered to close in as near as possible and demonstrate on the Salem and Wilkinson turnpikes, and to keep me posted by scouting on my flanks and front. I here drove in the enemy's scouts and placed three regiments of the Florida brigade, commanded by Colonel Robert Bullock (the Sixth Florida being detached, under Colonel Kenan, guarding the wagon train), near the bank of the creek in observation, and to protect Chalaron's