CHATTANOOGA, December 2, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM J. PALMER,

Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, Cowan, Tenn.:

There is nothing in the way of news here, except the fight at Franklin, Tenn. Hood was whipped, with a loss of 6,000.

SOUTHARD HOFFMAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C. December 2, 1864.

Brigadier General R. ALLEN,

Chief Quartermaster, Louisville, Ky.:

GENERAL: The following is a copy of a telegram sent to your address yesterday:

Report is made that cavalry horses at Nashville are suffering and breaking down from want of long forage (hay), and that the cavalry inspectors report that the means of transportation are ample. Report the cause and the possible remedy.

CHS. THOMAS,

Assistant Quartermaster-General.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHS. THOMAS,

Assistant Quartermaster-General.

LOUISVILLE, December 2, 1864.

(Received 9.15 p. m.)

Major General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General:

There was no scarcity of hay at Nashville until after the burning of Johnsonville, since which time it had simply been impossible to keep up the supply. We should be congratulated that in the face of this terrible disaster we have met other wants. Horses for few weeks will not suffer on a full ration of grain, if properly taken care of. Officers shamefully abuse their horses and charge it to hay. Inspecting officers know nothing about the difficulty of procuring hay, and less about the transporting of it. All that was possible to ship has been sent, and no one who understands the circumstances will complain General Thomas is satisfied.

ROBT. ALLEN,

Brigadier-General and Chief Quartermaster.

DECEMBER 2, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS:

SIR: General Wood directed me to inform you that the officer he sent to General Kimball had returned, and that he reports that he himself saw what he supposed to be three regiments of infantry pass to our right. At this time he saw them they were moving to the right of the Franklin pike, about half a mile in advance of our picket-line, and that when he left they were still moving.

Most respectfully, your most obedient servant,

GEORGE SHAFFER,

Lieutenant, Staff of General Wood.