confusion to their defenses at Loudon. The fact that they had there a fortified position, with an infantry support, the approach of darkness, and the exhaustion of our cavalry after their long march and severe fight, decided Colonels Morrison and Dibrell not to make an immediate attack upon Loudon.

Our loss amounted to 15 killed, 82 wounded, and 3 missing. That of the enemy was greater in killed and wounded, and by capture about 700 prisoners, 6 pieces of artillery, and all their wagons, ambulances, and camp equipage.

On the next morning the enemy advanced in force (infantry and cavalry) from Loudon, and Colonels Morrison and Dibrell withdrew their commands to Sweet Water, there to await the arrival of the infantry. The enemy fell back to Loudon that night.

I reached the front on the morning of the 22d; moved the infantry to Mouse Creek that day, and soon afterward to Sweet Water.

On the evening of October 23, the enemy advanced in considerable force and engaged the cavalry for a short time, retiring at dusk. Their loss is not known; ours was 5 wounded.

The same movement was again made by them on the evening of October 26.

In this affair our loss was 3 wounded and 5 missing. The enemy are known to have had 3 commissioned officers and several privates killed, and a number wounded.

On October 27, I was informed that the notorious bushwhacker and robber, Bryson, had been sent with his command by Burnside to get in my rear and obtain information as to our movements and intentions. I immediately gave Brigadier-General Vaughn a detachment of about 100 men, and directed him to intercept, and, if possible, destroy the party. He succeeded in dispersing them, killing several, and taking among the prisoners a captain. During the pursuit Bryson himself was killed.

On October 27, Cheatham's division, commanded during the expedition by Brigadier-General Jackson, reached Athens, and by this accession my force, before so weak as to be entirely inadequate for a decided movement against the enemy at Loudon, was strengthened to such an extent as would have enabled me to actively assume the offensive, but the enemy, informed doubtless by disloyal citizens of the arrival of these re-enforcements, evacuated Loudon on the night of the same day.

On October 28, I sent Brigadier-General Vaughn, with a force of cavalry, across the Little Tennessee River at Morganton, with orders to make a demonstration upon Knoxville, and gain all the information he could of the enemy's force, movements, and intentions. He found a force at Leiper's Ferry, attacked, and drove them across the river, after quite a sharp engagement, inflicting considerable loss upon them. He also went to Lenoir's Ferry. The sudden and heavy rain that fell at this time raised the Little Tennessee so rapidly that it became exceedingly hazardous for him to remain on that side, and he accordingly returned to Morganton.

On November 3, Colonel Dibrell crossed the Little Tennessee with about 700 men, but found the enemy in too great force in his front to permit him to make any decided move. The results of these scouts in eliciting information were promptly communicated to you by telegraph.

On November 4, I received orders by telegraph to send two of the brigades of Cheatham's division to Tyner's by railroad on the 5th,