routes. I will take all the artillery and wagons that I have with me here along; by doing so I will avoid a long detour by the way of Pulaski, by which route we will have more dirt road and only fifteen miles of turnpike. I will promptly report the disposition I make of my troops in posting them at Huntsville, Athens, and vicinity. I have ordered my chief quartermaster, Colonel Hayes, to bring up, via Athens, all of my trains in the rear, and if any orders are necessary to assist him I would be much obliged to the commanding general if he will give such. It was necessary for me to leave part of my artillery at Pulaski and to use the horses of the same in helping those through now with my command. As soon as we arrive at our destination I will send back my chief of artillery with horses for this artillery.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

TH. J. WOOD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH CORPS,

Lexington, Ala., December 30, 1864

Brigadier General W. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Every particle of information, however derived, and regard to the condition of Hood's army attests the fact of its complete and perfect demoralization. I have made many inquiries of citizens living on the road we have followed in the pursuit, and have received universally the same answers, namely, that one-half of the retreating troops are unarmed, and that everything like organization is gone. Two escaped prisoners came in yesterday and their statements fully corroborate the information derived from other sources. One of these prisoners marched, or rather went with Lee's corps (for he says there was nothing like marching among them), to within two miles of the Tennessee River, where he escaped. He says that not more than one-half of the corps was armed; that there was no organization at all in the corps; that he saw nothing like a company, regiment, or brigade, and that the men moved in squads, varying from six or eight to fifteen or twenty, and that these squads moved and halted at their own choice. He further states that from Pulaski to the point at which he escaped the rebels had nothing to eat but parched corn. The other escaped prisoner marched with Cheatham's corps, from Pulaski toward the Tennessee River, by the old military road. He says that out of the whole corps only about a regiment could be got to guard about 140 prisoners, and that the remainder of the corps marched in small squads, these squads moving as they chose. He says that in these squads he saw occasionally a musket or two to shoot cattle, &c., along the line of retreat. Both of these men speak of the destitute condition of the rebels in regard to clothing; they are without blankets, a great number without shoes, and all imperfectly clad. I feel confident that Hood has not taken across the Tennessee River more than half the men he brought across it; that not more than one-half of those taken out are armed; that he lost three-fourths of his artillery and that, for rout, demoralization, even disintegration, the condition of his command is without a parallel in this war. I am also confident that his command cannot be reorganized for service for some weeks, perhaps not before spring. At present, so