COLUMBIA, TENN., December 23,* 1864-8 p. m. (Received 1 a. m. 25th.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

Your two dispatches of 9 p. m. 22nd instant are received. I am profoundly thankful for the hearty expression of your confidence in my determination and desire to do all in my power to destroy the enemy and put down the rebellion, and, in the name of this army, I thank you for the complimantary notice you have taken of all connected with it for the deeds of valor they have performed. I will forward the list of meritorious officers to-morrow or next day.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

COLUMBIA, TENN., December 23, 1864-8 p. m. (Received 11.15 p.m .)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

The troops are still crossing Duck River, and are close up to the enemy's rear guard, on the Pulaski road. I hope to get the whole force across to-morrow and continue the pursuit. The railroad bridges between Spring Hill and this place (five in number) have been destroyed, but the construction corps is hard at work, and I am in hopes they will have the road repaired up to Columbia in the course of four or five days. The railroad between Chattanooga and Murfreesborough is in running order, and I am assured that the road between Nashville and Murfreesborough will be repaired in a few days. General McCook has routed and scattered the rebel General Lyon, who succeed in crossing the Cumberland River, and, with General Lyon, who succeeded in crossing the Cumberland River, and, with General Long, will soon join General Wilson, thus increasing my cavalry force sufficiently to enable me to completely destroy Forrest, if I can overtake him, which I shall make every exertion to do.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Columbia, December 23, 1864-8 a. m.

Governor ANDREW JOHNSON,
Military Governor of Tennessee, Nashville:

Your telegram of yesterday is received. The major-general commanding directs me to say in reply that in cases where the persons arrested are known to be sincere in their sympathies for the United States, and have really been forced into the rebel service during Hood's last movement, against their will, it will be will be well enough to release them, as you suggest.

Very respectfully,

ROBT. H. RAMSEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*So dated in Thomas' record book, but in Stanton's received it is the 24th.

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