HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Pulaski, December 26, 1864-6 p.m.

Major General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD,

Columbia:

Your telegram of 12 m. to-day is received. You can set your engineers to work building the trestle bridge across Duck River. According to present indications I do not think you troops will be needed about Florence, as per last reports from Wilson and Wood the enemy is doing his best to get out of the way. General Wilson thinks he will try to cross at Bainbridge and Lamb's Ferry. Steedman crossed the Tennessee to-day seven miles above Decatur, and is marching on that place. If Wilson finds the enemy retreating in disorder I shall order him to endeavor to throw a portion of his force across the Tennessee at Eastport and destroy Bear Creek bridge, then put General Smith at Eastport, to form a depot for our operations in the spring, and with the rest of the force cross at Decatur, and, if we can, crowd Hood away from the Tennessee, and then recruit for and organize for an early spring campaign. What do you think of it? Concentrate and reorganize your command either at or near Columbia as soon as possible. It was reported to me at Columbia that the enemy had abandoned three or four guns on the Columbia and Murfreesborough road, north of Duck River and about eight miles from Columbia. Try and find out where they are and have them brought in.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

COLUMBIA, TENN., December 26, 1864-7.30 p.m.

Major General GEORGE H. THOMAS,

Pulaski, Tenn.:

Your dispatch of 6 p.m. is just received. The plan you propose seems the best that can be done under the circumstances, if Hood succeeds in getting across the Tennessee. I will reorganize my command as soon as possible. I have not yet heard of the troops from Murfreesborough, and suspect that a portion of them at least went with General Steedman. I have sent a party to find the guns on the Murfreesborough road. I have succeeded in getting one division and most of its trains across the river, and can probably get the other over to-morrow, and will gladly push forward, if you think I can be of any use; if not, it will be better to leave them on the north bank, to save crossing supplies, until the bridge is done.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO,
Columbia, Tenn., December 26, 1864.

Colonel J. S. CASEMENT,

Commanding Second Brigade, Third Division, December 26, 1864.

Colonel J. S. CASEMENT,

Commanding Second Brigade, Third Division, 23rd Army Corps:

COLONEL: The commanding general directs that you take the three guns which were yesterday hauled out of Duck River, at the bridge, across the river to Columbia, and send them by first train to Nashville, consigned to Captain Mordecai, chief of ordnance, Department of the