NASHVILLE, December 9, 1864-1 p.m.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

City Point, Va.:

Your dispatch of 8.30 p.m. of the 8th is just received. I had nearly completed my preparations to attack the enemy to-morrow morning, but a terrible storm of freezing rain had come to-day, which will make it impossible for our men to fight to any advantage. I am, therefore, compelled to wait of the storm to break and make the attack immediately after. Admiral Lee is patrolling the river above and below the city,and I believe will be able to prevent the enemy from crossing. There is no doubt but that Hood's forces are considerably scattered along the river with the view of attempting a crossing, but it has been impossible for me to organize and equip the troops for an attack at an earlier time. Major-General Halleck informs me that you are very much dissatisfied with my delay in attacking. I can only say I have done all in my power to prepare, and if you should deem it necessary to relieve me I shall submit without a murmur.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

CITY POINT, VA., December 9, 1864-7.30 p.m.

Major-General THOMAS,

Nashville, Tenn.:

Your dispatch of 1 p.m. received. I have as much confidence in your conducting a battle rightly as I have in any other officer; but it has seemed to me that you have been slow, and I have had no explanation of affairs to convince me otherwise. Receiving your dispatch of 2 p.m. from General Halleck, before I did the one to me, I telegraphed to suspend the order relieving you until we should near further. I hope most sincerely that there will be no necessity of repeating the orders, and that the facts will show that you have been right all the time.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

NASHVILLE, December 9, 1864-11.30 p.m. (Received 10th.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

City Point, Va.:

Your dispatch 7.30 p.m. is just received. I can only say in further explanation why I have not attacked Hood that I could not concentrate my troops and get their transportation in order in shorter time that it has been done, and am satisfied I have made every effort that was possible to complete the task.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

CITY POINT, VA., December 9, 1864-11 a.m. (Received 1.45 p.m.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

Dispatch of 8 p.m. last evening from Nashville shows the enemy scattered for more than seventy miles down the river, and no attack