HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Granny White Pike, December 17, 1864.

Brigadier General JOHN F. MILLER,
Commanding Post of Nashville:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that you send a regiment over the field of yesterday to bury the dead, collect the artillery, small-arms, and other material captured from the enemy. Teams sufficient to haul twenty-three pieces of artillery will be required, that being the number captured yesterday.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

CLARKSVILLE, December 17, 1864-5 p. m.

Brigadier-General WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I sent a force to prevent Lyon from crossing between this and Donelson this morning. They report Lyon retreating toward Canton.

A. A. SMITH,

Commanding.

LOUISVILLE, KY., December 17, 1864-5.30 p. m.

Major THOMAS T. ECKERT:

Following just passed here to General Thomas, dated near Kingsport, Tenn., 13th, via Cumberland Gap 17th:

Left Knoxville 10th; overtook Duke's (formerly Morgan's) command yesterday; drove him across Holston; attacked, captured, and killed nearly the whole command, taking whole wagon train. Colonel Morgan (John's brother) among prisoners. We are now moving to Bristol, where we hope to treat Vaughn in the same manner.

GEO. STONEMAN,

Major-General.

Some of Breckinridge's orders captured, which say orders from Richmond direct all lead and ammunition must be hunted up and sent to Ordnance Department, and guns fired for cleaning must have ball extracted first to save it; also directs utmost economy in forage, it being equally scarce. A reliable report to commander at Decherd, 16th, says Breckinridge passed Woodbury, twenty-one miles east of Murfreesborough, on the 13th, with artillery and infantry, estimated at 10,000, going toward Murfreesborough. Heavy firing heard yesterday in direction of Murfreesborough, from Duck River, by our men.

S. BRUCH,

Captain, Assistant Quartermaster, U. S. Military Telegraph.

KNOXVILLE, December 17, 1864.

Captain HENRY A. FORD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

Thank you for your dispatch. Breckinridge was certainly at Strawberry Plains, Tenn., 19th of November, and afterward fell back toward