movements of the enemy. Use the utmost vigilance in guarding your train, and for this purpose the cavalry at Overall's Creek has been ordered to scout on your front and flanks.

By order of Major-General Rousseau:

E. A. OTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE ETOWAH,
Nashville, December 5, 1864.

Brigadier General W. D. WHIPPLE,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that this morning I sent out the Sixth Indiana (dismounted) Cavalry, Sixty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Fourteenth and Sixteenth U. S. Colored Troops, to reconnoiter in front of my present position. They met some resistance in advancing through the woods between my works and my former position, in front of the residence of Mr. Rains, but successfully pushed their advance to the works, driving the enemy from the position. They were unable to discover any considerable force of the enemy. The reconnoitering party captured seventeen prisoners - one lieutenant and sixteen enlisted men - who were forwarded to Captain Goodwin. The prisoners belong to the division known as "Cleburne's division," commanded by General Lowrey, who, the rebel lieutenant captured this morning says, succeeded to the command after the death of General Cleburne, at Franklin. The prisoners all concur in stating that this force of rebels is their extreme right, resting on the railroad, where they have strong rifle-pits.

Respectfully,

JAMES B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

DALTON, December 5, 1864.

Captain H. A. FORD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

A squad of fifty guerrillas attacked water-tank two miles and a half above here at 1 o'clock this morning. the guard, nine men, ran away. Rebels then went to the bridge one mile above and captured the guard, thirty-men, cut the wire, and left. The thirty men captured belonged to the command at Tunnel Hill. No damage done the road.

J. B. CULVER,

Colonel Thirteenth Michigan, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, December 5, 1864.

Colonel A. A. SMITH,

Clarksville:

Do not permit boats to pass up the river above Clarksville until you hear from here that the river is clear.

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

5 R R - VOL XLV, PT II