BRIDGEPORT, December 19, 1864.

Captain HENRY A. FORD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

Your telegram of 10.30 p. m. of the 18th instant was received to-day at 9 a. m., and two trains from Chattanooga reported to me early this morning, after which they proceeded to Stevenson. Exclusive of the battery men and detachments on railroad, there are only 828 enlisted men aggregate at this post for duty; consequently, the post will be unprocted. I have ordered the troops to be in readiness as soon as unprotected. I have ordered the troops to be in readiness as soon as possible, unless you would prefer to let the 800 troops from Chattanooga en route for this place proceed at once to Stevenson, instead of stopping here.

M. C. TAYLOR,

Colonel, Commanding.

BRIDGEPORT, December 19, 1864.

Captain HENRY A. FORD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

I have the honor to report that I have furnished the additional 400 men, and have reported the 800 men to General Granger, who is present, and rationed them to go on transports. I would respectfully request permission to-morrow to go to Chattanooga on official business pertaining to my regiment. Please answer.

M. C. TAYLOR,

Colonel, Commanding.

PADUCAH, December 19, 1864.

(Received 20th.)

Brigadier-General WHIPPLE,

Nashville, Tenn.:

GENERAL: In reply to your telegram of the 18th instant, I have the honor to state that the three regiments of infantry left this place at 4 p. m. this day for Nashville, Tenn., with orders to report to General Thomas. As soon as your dispatch was received I ordered the regiments to leave. They only arrived here on the 17th instant, and I was waiting for a battery from Columbus, which arrived here to-day. The fog was very heavy here these last three nights, and no boat could leave, or I would have left this to meet Lyon last night.

S. MIREDITH,

Brigadier-General.

PADUCAH, KY., December 19, 1864.

Captain J. B. DICKSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Lexington, Ky.:

CAPTAIN: I have just received a telegram from General Thomas, at Nashville, not to proceed against Lyon; that it is too late, and that McCook's division of cavalry was taking care of him, and that was sufficient, and I was to send on to Nashville the three regiments of infantry which were waiting here. I have done so, and it therefore is not necessary for me to take the field.

S. MEREDITH,

Brigadier-General.