CITY POINT, VA., December 12, 1864-11.30 p. m.

Major-General HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

There are at Springfield, Ill., a large number of recruits for Sherman's army. Please order the whole camp removed from Camp Butler to Nashville. At the latter place they will be of use whilst waiting an opportunity to join the regiments to which they belong.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

NASHVILLE, TENN., December 12, 1864-10.30 p. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

I have the troops ready to make the attack on the enemy as soon as the sleet which now coves the ground has melted sufficiently to enable the men to march. As the whole country is now covered with a sheet of ice so hard and slippery it is utterly impossible for troops to ascend the slopes, or even move over level ground in anything like order. It has taken the entire day to place my cavalry in position, and it has only been finally effected with imminent risk and many serious accidents, resulting from the number of horses falling with their riders on the roads. Under these circumstances I believe an attack at this time would only result in a useless sacrifice of life.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
December 12, 1864.

Brigadier-General WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

No change in my front this morning.

TH. J. WOOD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Nashville, Tenn., December 12, 1864.

Brigadier-General WHIPPLE,

Chief of Staff:

I have the honor to request that you will direct Colonel Loomis, chief of artillery, District of the Tennessee, to order Battery E, First Michigan Artillery, to relieve Battery A, First Ohio Light Artillery, and the Twenty-fifth Indiana-Light Battery to relieve Bridges' Battery Illinois Light Artillery, without delay. The two batteries that I desire to have relieved have served through the Chickamauga, East Tennessee, Atlanta, and the recent Franklin campaigns, and need an opportunity to refit. The two batteries asked for, Colonel Loomis informs me, are supplied with an entire new equipment, and one of them, the First Michigan battery, has been in camp at this place one year. I have the honor to request that you will direct that the above-mentioned