except in arms, 100 of my men were dismounted, but few had blankets or overcoats, and many were destitute of shoes or clothing sufficient to make a respectable appearance.

The command moved from Paris on the 6th of December to Danville, on the Tennessee River, at which place I had previously ordered boats to be constructed to cross the river. This was successfully accomplished on the 8th of December.

On the 9th I too possession of Cumberland City, thirty miles below Clarksville and ten above Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland River, at which point, by means of our of our artillery, command by Lieutenant R. B. Matthew, of Gracey's battery, we succeeded in capturing a large steamer loaded with forage and provisions, which I converted into a ferry boat, and by means of which I crossed my command over the Cumberland. During the evening ot the 9th I succeeded in capturing 2 other steamers and 4 barges, all of which I anchored in the channel and consigned to the flames; 50 prisoners, of whom one was a lieutenant-colonel, were captured on those boats. The property destroyed, including the steam-boats, is estimated at &1,000,000.

The weather was intensely cold; many of the soldier were already frosted, and it was with the greatest difficulty that they could be made to move from the fires built along the road.

I found Clarksville too strongly fortified and garrisoned to attack, and order Lieutenant-Colonel Cunningham, commanding Chenowheth's regiment, to destroy the railroad and telegraph lines from the with's regiment, to destroy the railroad and telegraph lines from the Red River bridge, four miles from Clarksville, to the Junction or intersection of the Nashville and Clarksville road with the road running from Clarksville to Russellville, Ky., which was successfully accomplished without the loss of a man. O, in the meantime, had moved with the remainder of my command in the direction of Hopkinsville, Ky., twenty-five miles north of Clarksville, Tenn., and found on arriving near that place that the enemy, 400 strong, had evacuated the place and retired to Russellville, Ky., on the Nashville and Louisiana Railroad. i succeeded in securing clothes and shoes for about one half of my command at this place, and deterring that I would leave 400 men and one piece of artillery, under Colonel Chenowath, as a garrison at Hopkinsville, and proceed with the remainder of my command to Cadiz, Princeton, nd Eddyville, garrisoned towns (200 negro troops in each place, and, if possible,to capture the garrison, and in any event to destroy these barracks and supply my men with clothing, &c. The garrisons all abandoned these posts and fled to Smithland and Fort Donelson, and I destroyed the count-house at Hopkinsville, Cadiz, and Princeton, as they were occupied as barracks and used as fortifications by the negroes. I also destroyed a corral, or a place of rendezvous for negroes, at Eddyville, Ky.

In the Meantime McCook's division of Federal cavalry, consisting of three brigades, 1,000 in each, moved down from Nashville and attacked Colonel Chenoweth at Hopkinsville, driving him from the place and capturing the piece of artillery left with him. I meet the enemy on my return to Hopkinsville about twelve miles from that place, and drove them back into the town, killing sand wounding 10 an capturing 20. Finding the enemy greatly outnumbered my command I withdrew to a place sixteen miles district from Hopkinsville and encamped. During the night Colonel Chenoweth joined me witch this command. I then moved through Charlestown and Madisonville, burning the courthouse at the letter place, to Ashbysburg, on Green River, where I safety effected a crossing, although pursued by the enemy in strong force.