HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
December 26, 1864-4.45 p.m.

Brigadier-General ELLIOTT,

Commanding Second Division:

If you have not moved out of camp do not do so this evening. Orders will be given for the march to-morrow.

By order of Brigadier-General Wood:

J. S. FULLERTON,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

COLUMBIA, December 26, 1864.

General SCHOFIELD:

Lines just got working to Pulaski. Can now reach General Thomas' headquarters.

J. T. JOYCE,

Operator.

COLUMBIA, December 26, 1864.

General WHIPPLE:

Your dispatch asking when a pontoon bridge can be spared from Duck River is received. I will try to get my troops and ammunition trains across to-day. If I succeed one bridge might be spared to-night. Up to this time the bridges have been entirely occupied by trains in advance of me. I will inform you during the day what progress is made.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

COLUMBIA, TENN., December 26, 1864-12 m.

Major-General THOMAS:

It is impossible to tell when my trains will be able to cross the river, even with the two bridges; they have not yet commenced, and General Smith still has 200 wagons to cross. The bridges are out of order the greater part of the time. I would advise the construction of trestle bridges over any stream between here and the Tennessee River, rather than to rely upon the pontoons, even if the latter were not in use here. I also think it would be advisable to build a trestle bridge here. I can make a good double-track bridge in two or three days, if my engineer battalion be taken off from the railroad. I think it will take at least ten days yet to get the cars to Columbia; meantime the pontoon bridges will hardly accommodate the trains going to and from Spring Hill. Please direct whether I shall set my engineers to building a bridge here.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.