Weather that will enable the enemy to operate will afford us the same opportunity, and any plan which may be adopted involving Sherman and Thomas can be co-operated with from here.

A bridge-head and bridge in the neighborhood of Dallas or Igou's Ferry, with a force threatening Cleveland, would probably bring the enemy either from the front of Burnside or Thomas. If from the former he could advance at least to the line of the Hiwassee, and if the whole plan was fortunately executed, would give us all the country as far south as Cleveland, and allow a complete junction of your entire army.

The general also says, should a plan of operations of this kind be put on foot, he could use four or five thousand of Thomas' cavalry to great advantage. Or, even if it is determined to do no more than try to hold the present line of the Little Tennessee, this additional cavalry force would be of great benefit to him. He thinks it would enable him to hold his line against any ordinary force that the enemy can send against him.

The general does not wish to be understood as requesting 10,000 infantry to be sent to him, but makes this suggestion in view of the possibility that no operation toward Cleveland on the part of Thomas may be deemed practicable, and that you may still desire and make his occupancy of this country certain.

J. H. WILSON,

Lieutenant-Colonel, &c.

Major-General GRANT, Chattanooga.

No. 3.

Abstract from returns of the troops in East Tennessee, under command of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, U. S. Army, November 30, 1863.

Present for

duty

Command Office Men Aggregat Aggre- Pie- Station

rs e gate ces of

present pre- field

sent artill

and ery

absent

Ninth Army 17 10 27 31 --- Knoxvill

Corps: e.

Headquarters

First Division 194 2,720 3,490 6,774 10 Do.

Second Division 84 1,248 1,761 3,259 6 Do.

Unassigned 14 369 419 541 4 Do.

Total Ninth 309 4,347 5,697 10,605 20

Army Corps

Twenty-third 12 95 144 178 --- Do.

Army Corps:

Headquarters

Second Division 178 3,225 3,978 5,554 12 Do.

Third Division 149 3,379 4,200 5,607 16 Do.

Engineer troops 1 28 39 55 --- Do.

Reserve 9 220 239 265 [a] Do.

Artillery

Total Twenty- 349 6,947 8,600 11,659 28

third Army

Corps

Left Wing 244 4,750 5,889 7,704 31 Cumber-

forces in East land Gap

Tennessee b

Cavalry Corps 428 8,245 10,166 14,755 32

Grand total 1,330 24,289 30,352 44,723 111

a Not reported in returns.

b Including garrison of Cumberland Gap.