MOUND CITY, December 1, 1864-1 p. m.

Major-General THOMAS:

Your dispatch of yesterday received.* I have ordered the iron-clads to return to the Cumberland River and convoy your transports up and down that river. I send also a similar order, by dispatch-boat, to Paducah. On Sunday I will have another iron-clad ready, and will send it to Smithland to operate on either river, and expect to go there myself.

S. P. LEE,

Rear-Admiral.

NASHVILLE, December 1, 1864-9.20 p. m.

Admiral S. P. LEE,

Mound City:

Your communication by Commander Fitch and telegram of 1 p. m. this date are received, and I am much indebted to you for having changed the destination of the iron-clads. Commander Fitch thinks if the iron-clads you expect at Smithland were stationed at Clarksville the river could then be made perfectly safe. Will you please order it to Clarksville.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

NASHVILLE, TENN., December 1, 1864-7 p. m.

Major ECKERT:

Attack at Franklin last night was a severe battle, the enemy acting with all his forces, and suffering heavily in killed, wounded, and prisoners; of the latter, 1,000 have been brought in, and the former is estimated at not less than 3,000, while our entire list of casualties will not reach 1,000. After carrying for our part, we fell back, leaving Franklin at 3 a. m., and now confront Hood from the fortifications of Nashville. General Steedman has arrived with part of his troops. Our cavalry, under Wilson, gave Forrest a good fight on the Hillsborough road, and came in all right. Rebel infantry appeared on our front at 4.30 p. m. Things look like work here to-morrow. No telegraphs out of Nashville, except toward the north.

J. C. VAN DUZER.

DUNCAN'S HOUSE, Franklin Pike, [December 1, 1864]- 7 p. m.

Major-General THOMAS:

An officer who came in at 5 p. m. reports that a column of rebel cavalry followed him in to within two miles of this place; a small squad of Hatch's men, going out after dark, were fired on a mile from this and came back. The pack train with ammunition for Croxton has just arrived here; I informed the officer in charge of it of the facts, and ordered him to report to you to ascertain how he could communicate with his command. The enemy undoubtedly reached Brentwood before Wilson, and have thrown him off toward Nolensville. I have taken

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*See Part, p. 1167.

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