GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DIST. OF EAST TENNESSEE,

AND FOURTH DIV., 23rd ARMY CORPS,

Numbers 3.
Knoxville, Tenn., January 20, 1865.

Pursuant to telegraphic instructions from headquarters Department of the Ohio, Brigadier General S. P. Carter having been relieved from duty as provost-marshal-general of East Tennessee, Lieutenant Colonel L. S. Trow-bridge, Tenth Michigan Cavalry Volunteers, is hereby appointed provost-marshal-general of the District of East Tennessee. He will be respected and obeyed accordingly.

By command of Brigadier-General Tillson:

N. A. REED, JR.,

Aide-de-Camp and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

EASTPORT, MISS., January 21, 1865.

(Received 12.20 a. m. 24th.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

Your dispatch of the 17th instant just received. Strength of Twenty-third Corps about 20,000. I do not know the number of companies of artillery to be supplied with batteries.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.

EASTPORT, MISS., January 21, 1865.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington:

Your telegram of the 17th instant, 10 a. m., is received, instructing me to notify General Schofield to move his corps to Washington, instead of Annapolis. General Schofield, who left Clinton several days ago with his corps, is now too far away for me to communicate with him. Your dispatch of 11.30 a. m. 17th instant also received. The soldiers carrying the flags to Washington will be organized as you direct.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Army.

EASTPORT, MISS., January 21, 1865-noon.

(Received 12.10 a. m. 24th.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington:

A reconnaissance sent by me to Corinth on the 19th instant has returned to Iuka, the cavalry portion only having reached Corinth. The commanding officer reports only straggling parties of the rebels at Corinth, which ran away at his approach. I also have reports from scouts sent out in the direction of Columbus, Miss., that Hood's headquarters are at that place, and that Forrest's headquarters are at Tupelo, and also that they have furloughed most of their Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee troops until the 25th of this month, and that they were forced to resort to this measure on account of the destruction of their railroad communication. The above report of Hood's and Forrest's situation is confirmed by General dana in a dispatch from Memphis.