As Watkins' brigade at the date of this dispatch was 166 miles distant from Elizabethtown, it was of course impossible to move him around to that point in time to intercept any force of the enemy that might strike there. Louisville being only forty miles distant I thought sufficient force might be sent down to intercept them and drive them back on to La Grandge, who was in close pursuit. I was right in my conjecture; they struck the road at this point, and a small portion of Colonel La Grange's advance arrived there just in time to drive them out of town and capture about thirty prisoners. As no force was sent from Louisville I suppose some satisfactory reason existed for it not having been done.

The whole country around Hopkinsville was scouted for the purpose of picking up squads that had scattered from the enemy's command. One regiment was also sent to the Cumberland River below Clarksville, opposite the mouth of Yellow Creek, where Lyon crossed his force into the State. No further necessity existing for keeping a force in that country, on the morning of the 23rd I moved with Watkins' brigade and the artillery toward Nashville, and reached there on the morning of the 28th.

La Grange's whole pursuit was retarded by the enemy destroying the bridges in their rear, compelling him to build foot bridges to cross his men and to swim his horses. He struck the enemy's rear guard at Green River, killing 12 and capturing 7; he also captured 4 baggage wagons, and ambulance, some small-arms, and a large quantity of plunder. The enemy lost over 200 horses in the river at this point, and between Charleston and Hartford they were compelled to release between 300 and 400 conscripts. La Grange's brigade consumed nearly two days in getting across Green River. They made the march from the river to Elizabethtown, 115 miles, in two days. Here he struck their rear again, captured 4 officers and 29 men, and drove them from the railroad. he relinquished the pursuit at Hodgensville on account of the exhausted condition of his horses.

The result in killed, wounded, and captured of the enemy was not such as I desired, or the general commanding probably had reason to expect, from the character of the force sent in pursuit; but the enemy's force for the most part was composed of guerrilla bands, residents of the country we were operating in, and so soon as they found themselves pursued by an organized force they scattered to their homes, and in the garb of citizens could defy recognition or detection. All that was tangible of their material was captured or destroyed, and I am satisfied that everything was done that could be done to destroy the rest.

The Second Brigade marched 416 miles and the Third Brigade 325 miles over the worst roads I ever saw. During part of the time the weather was extremely cold and both men and animals suffered much. On the night of the 23rd 100 men of the Second Brigade had their feet frozen. Both men and horse subsisted off the country during the whole trip.

The primary object of the expedition was accomplished, however, when the force of General Lyon was dispersed and rendered powerless for further harm. He reached Hopkinsville with 1,500 men, crossed Gree River with 800, and escaped from Elizabethtown with but about 450.

I would most respectfully suggest that the only was to secure Western Kentucky from future inroads of this kind will be to occupy some parts of it with a small but active force of cavalry, whose duty it shall be to arrest and dispose of every man who is not know to be a dona fide resident of the neighborhood where he is found. The country is