DECATUR, ALA., November 14, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS:

Officer in charge of picket on Courtland road reports a battalion of the enemy in his front. No knowledge of his force or what follows.

R. S. GRANGER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, November 14, 1864-9 a. m.

Major-General STEEDMAN,

Chattanooga:

Your dispatch of yesterday just received.* It will be well to re-enforce the garrison of Dalton by one of Cruft's brigades as soon as he can get organized.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, November 14, 1864-7 p. m.

Major General J. B. STEEDMAN,

Chattanooga:

Your dispatch of 4.30 p. m. to-day received.+ If General Ammen needs re-enforcements, you had better send him the 700 men of Cruft's command, instead of sending them to Dalton.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

CHATTANOOGA, TENN., November 14, 1864.

Brigadier-General WHIPPLE,

Chief of Staff:

As directed by major-general commanding. I tendered assistance to General Ammen, and received the following reply:

KNOXVILLE, November 14, 1864.

The troops are coming to Strawberry Plains; a large part of the cavalry is in, and my infantry is back, having lost only three. One hundred rebels reported west of Morristown, some at Morristown, and some infantry and one battery fortifying at Bull's Gap. It is not supposed they will advance. I have not been able to get any reliable information of numbers; in my opinion, it is not 3,000 General Gillem is in town; I have not seen him. At present, I feel equal to the emergency. Thanks for the offer, and will call on you if pressed. The battery was lost.

J. AMMEN,

Brigadier-General.

All quiet in vicinity and on the road to Resaca. Nothing of the enemy in the direction of Trenton or Valley Head.

JAMES B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General.

---------------

*See Vol. XXXIV, Part I, p. 765.

---------------

+See Ammen's dispatch, transmitted by Steedman to Thomas, and embodied in Thomas to Halleck, 7 p. m., p. 876.