Meridian. They give as their reason for believing this that, with our large cavalry force to threaten his railroad communications, Hood could not possibly maintain himself at Corinth or any other point north of Meridian, and hope to cover Montgomery and Selma. My belief is that Hood, if he can, will retreat to Talladega, as, with his army at that point, he would more effectually cover Montgomery and Selma than if at Meridian. Brigadier-General Sears, of the rebel army, was found yesterday wounded at a private house on the Elkton pike, and is now a prisoner of war.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

FLAG-SHIP FAIRY,

Off Chickasaw, Ala., December 28, 1864-10 a.m.

Major General G. H. THOMAS:

River is falling very rapidly. Enemy can cross anywhere above Waterloo.

S. P. LEE,

Acting Rear-Admiral, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, December 28, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS:

Officers are about leaving these headquarters to join General Sherman. Do you wish to send anything?

J. D. WEBSTER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Pulaski, Tenn., December 28, 1864.

Brigadier General J. D. WEBSTER,

Nashville:

Your dispatch of this date received. Send my most cordial congratulations to General Sherman for his great success, and say to him that the remnant of his army left in Tennessee has been battling manfully. We have whipped Hood, captured 6,000 or 7,000 prisoners, 68 pieces of artillery, large quantities of ammunition and wagons, over 5,000 stand of small-arms, and killed and wounded 16 general officers, and now have Hood jammed up against the Tennessee, trying to lay his pontoon bridges, with the gun-boats shelling them below, and Steedman threatening them from above, and our main force after them direct. Nothing but the impassable condition of the roads will prevent us from capturing his entire army. I ordered to-day a salute of 100 guns fired from the fortifications at Nashville, in honor of his capture of Savannah and glorious termination of his march. Stoneman has been entirely and eminently successful in driving the rebels from East Tennessee and destroying the salt-works at Saltville, Va.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding