field officer. This guard will suffer no soldier to loiter or straggle behind. Entering of private houses for any purpose is prohibited, and officers will be held accountable for any depredations committed by the men.

By command of Major-General Milroy:

JNO. O. CRAVENS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

COWAN, November 30, 1864-8 a.m.

Brigadier-General WHIPPLE:

Have just arrived with two trains, and started one train for Tullahoma. My whole command will be here by 11 o'clock. Communicated with Colonel Warner, commanding at Elk River, from Stevenson. Received your instructions of yesterday at Stevenson.

JAS. B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General.

NASHVILLE, November 30, 1864-5.35 p.m.

Major General J. B. STEEDMAN,

Cowan:

Embark your troops immediately on the cars and come to Nashville as soon as possible. Instruct the garrison at Elk River bridge to be on the lookout for the enemy, and if he be found approaching in too strong a force to be successfully resisted, they will fall back to Cowan and join the garrison at that place.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

COWAN, November 30, 1864. [Received 6.20 p.m.]

Major-General THOMAS:

I am here with the full strength I reported you from Chattanooga, with artillery in addition. Scouts sent out from Decherd, ten miles in direction of Lynchburg, have just returned and report everything quiet and no signs of enemy. Just received your dispatch to come to Nashville.

J. B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DISTRICT OF THE ETOWAH,

No. 53. Chattanooga, November 30, 1864.

* * * * *

III. Colonel Gowin, commanding Sixth Tennessee Mounted Infantry, will send 130 men of his command, under proper officers, to Cleveland to-morrow morning [December 1] at daybreak. The utmost dispatch is demanded. The officers in command of the cavalry, on reaching Cleveland, will report immediately to Colonel Boughton, commanding post.