portation, and ordered Colonel Johnson's (Seventeenth Kentucky) regiment to join me and report to General Watkins. At 7.30 next morning the command marched on the Hopkinsville road, and at 9 p. m. arrived at Fairview, nine miles from Hopkinsville. Here I halted four hours to feed and rest, and started again at 1 a. m., designing to reach Hopkinsville at daylight, and supposing if the rebels intended to fifth they would occupy the bluffs immediately east of the town, that being the strongest defensible position in the vicinity. Three miles from this point I divided my force, sending General Watkins to the right, with instructions to make a detour, get in rear of the enemy, and cover all the roads, and that with La Grange's brigade I would assault their position in front at daylight. As soon as it was light enough to see La Grange advanced his line and found the enemy posted as I had anticipated. They opened one piece of artillery and a heavy fire of musketry. Our lines advanced steadily and the rebels ran away abandoning their artillery, caisson, and ammunition, nearly all of them throwing away their guns and escaping by the Greenville road and through the woods. I expected and from the disposition I had made of my force had a right to except, that the morning's works would result in the capture and destruction of the entire force opposed to me. Watkins had succeeded in getting in their rear before the attack was made in front, but through some unaccountable mistake the Greenville road had been left open by him. General Watkins states that discovering their movements he ordered Colonel Faulkner to charge, but the colonel, believing that they were friends, instead of enemies, failed to obey the order, and the rebels changed their course and escaped. Instead of getting all, as I hoped, there were captured only 57 men and 4 officers, a few killed and wounded. Among their killed was Colonel Reuben Ross. But one brigade of Lyon's, about 500 strong, was engaged in this skirmish, he being with the rest of his command at Princeton.

The next morning at daylight I marched toward Princeton and found on arriving within eight miles of that place that lyon had met the fragment of his retreating force and turned off at Grubb's Cross-Roads, marching toward Madisonville, crossing Tradwater river and burning the bridge behind him. Here finding it impossible to make a rapid pursuit encumbered with artillery, and fearing if I followed with my whole force Lyon might turn back through Madisonville and try to reach the Cumberland by marching through Hopkinsville, I divided my forces, ordering Colonel La Grange with his brigade to follow the route of the enemy and pursue him as far as practicable, and moved with Watkins and the artillery back to Hopkinsville. I arrived there that night, and hearing on the morning of the 20th that Lyon was crossing Green River near Ashbysburg I felt satisfied he would try to cross the Louisville and Nashville Railroad near Elizabethtown, and sent a dispatch to the commanding officer at Louisville to that effect, which was forwarded to Russellville by courier and from there by telegraph. The following is a copy of the dispatch:

HOPKINSVILLE, KY., December 20-9 a. m.

General H. EWING, or

OFFICER COMMANDING POST AT LOUISVILLE:

Part of Lyon's force was trying to cross the Green River on rafts at Ashbysburg yesterday, one brigade of mine in pursuit, and their advance within four miles. If he gets any of his force across he may try to go through the country between Elizabethtown and Cave City, or along there some place, into Eastern Kentucky. Look out for him.

E. M. MCCOOK,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.