scouting party sent out from Morristown, and captured 7 of them, with their arms and 8 horses.

I heard cannonading from about 2 o'clock until dark in the direction of Noyes' Ferry, or between there and Bean's Station.

From the prisoners captured I learned,in entire confirmation of the report previously given to me at McFarland's house by a boy who had left Russellville at daybreak this morning and had come through Morristown, that General Martin, commanding the rebel cavalry (vice Wheeler),had left Russellville at daybreak this morning, and had reached Morristown at about 9 a.m., with five regiments of cavalry-the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Sixth Georgia-composing Colonel Crews' brigade, of Morgan's division, and that they were drawn up in line of battle at Morristown at the time the scouting party was sent out.

The rest of this division the prisoners understood to be over toward the Chucky; Jones' cavalry, they thought, was near Bean's Station, and they believed the fighting to-day to be with him. While I was pursuing the scouting party, the pickets I had left on the Dandridge and Morristown road beyond McFarland's house saw, about a mile beyond them on the road leading from mouth of Chucky to Morristown, a heavy rebel column of cavalry, supposed to be a division, passing toward Morristown, which is 2 miles from that intersection. This was at about 3.30 p.m.; they did not perceive my pickets.

Our prisoners also assert that Longstreet's infantry had crossed over from Rogersville to the Bull's Gap and Greenville road, and were now encamped on that road 8 miles east of Bull's Gap, and that the wagon trains were on the same road. I brought my command over to this road where I found that the telegraph party had not got up to Panther Springs; returning, I found it at Colonel Talbott's, 18 miles from Strawberry Plains.

There being no forage convenient, I brought the party and escort back to this point, 15 miles from Strawberry Plains, with my command.

The force of rebel cavalry in Morristown this evening was so large that I cannot consider myself very safe here, as yours is, I believe, the nearest supporting command, and I cannot see that it is very prudent to continue putting up a telegraph line toward Morristown while there is a division or more of rebel cavalry there, who have the facility to return to the place without interruption, even if they now retire.

Until a large force is thrown on the south side of the river there is nothing to prevent the enemy's cavalry from cutting the wires whenever they please, even down to Strawberry Plains.

It is possible that a body of rebel cavalry may be thrown down this road in the morning from Morristown. I await orders at this point. Please telegraph them. One of the prisoners we captured was an orderly sergeant, sent out by General Martin from Morristown this afternoon to recall the scouting party. I shall endeavor to ascertain in the morning the condition of affairs at Morristown and vicinity.

Yours, respectfully,

WM. J. PALMER,

Colonel, Commanding.

Brigadier-General SPEARS,

Comdg. United States Forces at Strawberry Plains.