SMITHLAND, December 17, 1864-8 p. m.

Captain JAMES GRAHAM,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Six men have just arrived from Princeton this 8 p. m. They were conscripted and furloughed until Monday. General Lyon is there with 400 men and one piece of artillery. He burned the court-house yesterday.

H. P. REED,

Commanding Post.

FRANKFORT, KY., December 17, 1864.

Captain J. S. BUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Nothing from Bridgewater since my last report. His instructions were to follow the guerrillas until they were captured or killed. Information sent Bridgewater through the different stations on the railroad of movements of troops from Lexington and Ohio River, as mentioned in your communication.

D. W. LINDSEY,

Inspector and Adjutant-General.

LEXINGTON, KY., December 17, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER,

Burkesville, Ky.:

Take the boats of the pontoon bridge out on north side of river, concealing them as well as possible, and take a plank out of the bottom of each boat and hide the plank by burying some distance from river. After the bridge and boats are rendered useless without the planks, all members of Thirteenth Kentucky Cavalry will go to Camp Nelson to be mustered out. Let no citizen and no more soldiers than possible know where the planks are buried, but make yourself a memorandum, so they can be found when needed, and send it here.

By order of Brigadier General N. C. McLean:

J. S. BUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

PRIVATE.] HEADQUARTERS NORTHERN DEPARTMENT,

Cincinnati, Ohio, December 17, 1864.

Honorable HENRY WILSON,

U. S. Senate:

In my letter of the 8th instant I made no allusion to the case of Major-General Meade. It is one more illustrative of the manner in which promotions are recommended in the army than either of the others I have referred to.

As early as December 1, 1863, the day of the battle of Mine Run, the authorities at Washington had his removal from the command of the Army of the Potomac in serious contemplation, and soon after I was informed reliably that it was the desire of the President and the Secretary of War that I should be restored to that position. I say reliably, for I have letters in my possession to this effect, which would