Cumberland River below the city of Nashville, and of the services of Brigadier-Geenral Croxton's brigade, in covering and relieving our right and rear, in the operations of yesterday and to-day. Although I have no report of the number of prisoners captured by Johnson's and Croxton's commands, I know they have made a large number. I am glad to be able to state that the number of prisoners captured yesterday greatly exceeds the number reported by me last evening. The woods, fields, and intrenchments are strewn with the enemy's small-arms, abandoned in their retreat. In conclusion, I am happy to state that all this has been effected with but a verys small loss to us. Our loss does not probably exceed 3,000;* very few killed.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

[DECEMBER 16, 1864.-For General Thomas' congratulatory orders, see Part I, p. 50.]

CITY POINT, VA., December 16, 1864.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Washington, D. C.:

Richmond Dispatch of to-day, after fully confirming the previous reports of the capture of Bristol, states that--

The enemy then advanced up the railroad toward Abingdon, which we presume fell into their hands, though we have no information of the fact. The next we hear of them they had at 9 o'clock yesterday morning pounced down on Glade's Spring, a depot on the railroad thirteen miles this side of Abingdon, taking every one there by surprise, and capturing of all the railroad employes, except one, who managed to escape to tell the tale. At last accounts the enemy were pushing up the railroad in the direction of Marion, which is twenty-seven miles on this side of Abingdon. This is a raid in Breckinridge's rear. The raiders, leaving his forces somewhere in the neighborhood of Knoxville, came up the north side of the Holston River, and crossed over to Bristol. It is probable the raiders separated, one party proceeding to Bristol, and the other to Abingdon. If unchecked, it is likely they will come up the railroad even as far as Salem, and thence escape to Kanawha by the route followed by Hunter last summer. It is unknown who is in command of this expedition, but it looks very much like some of Stoneman's galloping work. None of the dispatches received say anything about Saltville. If it is unprotected, it has doubtless been visited by the enemy; if, however, there were any troops there, the Yankees were apt to fight ahy of it, and confine their operations to the railroad.

THE BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.

General Hood's official report of the battle of Franklin has at last been received. It will be seen that our reported extraordinary loss of general officers is but too true. The following is General Hood's dispatch:

"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE, "Six Miles from Nashville, Tenn., December 3, 1864. (Via Mobile 9th.)

"Honorable J. A. SEDDON:

"About 4 p. m. November 30 we attacked the enemy at Franklin, and drove them from their center line of temporary works into the inner line, which they evacuated during the night, leaving their dead and wounded in our possession, and retired to Nashville, closely followed by our cavalry. We captured 7 stand of colors and

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*As received in the War Department this read 300, and was so repeated in Stanton's dispatches to Dix and others. Corrected in Stanton to Dix, 10 p. m. 17th, p. 228.

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