EDGEFIELD, TENN., December 9, 1864.

Brigadier General J. F. KNIPE,

Commanding Seventh Division, Cavalry Corps:

GENERAL: I have been directed by Major-General Wilson to make a summary of the information obtained during a recent scout to Lebanon. We found only straggling parties of the enemy, ones and twos, visiting families. Biffle's cavalry had been at Lebanon, but had gone, any thought, toward Carthage, but the weight of evidence was in favor of "to the south of Nashville and to Forrest." The opinion of the people was that Forrest either had gone or intended going to a point near Clarksville about eight miles above, and there crossing for a strike at our communications. This notion was very general, and Bowling Green was the point indicated. Breckinridge was expected, and every man, black and white, though him on the way, via Sparta. I have, however, seen East Tennessee from beyond Livingston, and he was not anywhere there. I could hear of pontoons, but found none. I could not obtain certain information as to whether we still hold Murfreesborough, or not, but the people seemed to think (especially negroes) that we do still hold it. Two men informed me that the Thirteenth Indiana were in La Vergne, and armed with muskets only (bad ones), and that the enemy had charged in with cavalry and taken the place and the force prisoners. They had this from a third party, who said he saw it. A man named Dibble [Dibrell] was expected at Lebanon. He had recently been made a brigadier-general, but I inclined to the opinion that he was expected to conscript his command, rather than bring it. Cheatham's division, or part of it, was said to be on Stone's River, and that was the only certainly of a force that I could find. All the horses in the country seemed to have been carried off. Our scout, which extended from Gallatin, crossing out to Lebanon and around it, back to the river at Cairo crossing, a travel of forty miles, with numerous branch detachments, obtained only eight horses. The country was full of rumors, of which what I have written are the only tangible ones. All means of crossing as high up as Hartsville and all at Carthage have been destroyed by my force, and the gun-boat Post Boy had orders to destroy all found. My force under Major Stephens, Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, found everything quiet at Carthage and could hear of no enemy in that region. The country on both sides of the river had been stripped of horses completely, even to the stallions, but their is plenty of forage-plenty.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. HAMMOND,

Brevet Major-General.

(Forwarded to Major-General Thomas by Brevet Major-General Wilson.)

NASHVILLE, TENN., December 9, 1864-8.15 a.m.

Colonel GILFILLAN, or

Commanding OFFICER ELEVENTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEERS,

Gallatin:

You are hereby directed to have the Second Tennessee Cavalry* (Colonel Murphy commanding, which has been ordered to Gallatin for

---------------

*Mounted infantry.

---------------