third Corps, 3,000 strong, are opposite Loudon and at Lenoir's. We are building pontoons, which will be done in a few days, when we will try to throw a bridge across just below the mouth of the Little Tennessee.

We have a cavalry force at Kingston, with pickets connecting with Thomas' pickets near Cotton Port, and are building a pontoon bridge at Kingston long enough to span the Tennessee just below its junction with the Clinch River, which will enable us to threaten the enemy east of the Hiwassee. We have a small infantry division at this place, with a cavalry brigade occupying Maryville, picketing the Little Tennessee; one small regiment at Morristown, with battery and 200 or 300 cavalry; two new regiments and a battery and fourteen captured pieces, with 300 cavalry, at Cumberland Gap; four regiments of new Indiana troops and ten guns at Greenville; three small regiments of infantry and a battery just this side of Jonesborough, and a small division of cavalry in front, a portion of it extending to the north to near Kingsport.

The season is so far advanced that I fear there must be great suffering in this command unless we are fortunate enough to occupy Cleveland and the line of railroad from here to Chattanooga. The railroad bridge over the Hiwassee is said to be nearly or quite completed, which will enable the enemy to send up pontoons and troops very rapidly. We will endeavor to check them if they attempt to cross the Tennessee. I will be glad to make any change you may designate in the disposition of troops. It is clear to me that it will be a hard task to hold East Tennessee with the enemy's forces as they are now situated, unless he is constantly occupied by forces immediately in his front. There are reports of very large bodies of troops concentrating against me, but I believe them all exaggerated.

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, November 3, 1863-9 p.m.

General GRANT, Chattanooga:

General HALLECK, Washington:

I will start wagons to Crossville to meet the clothing as soon as I learn that it has started from McMinnville. It would not be advisable, I think, to send out the few wagons we have to Carthage. The greater portion of our wagons has already been sent to Camp Nelson for stores. If the Cumberland is sufficiently high to allow boats to go to the mouth of the Big South Fork, it would be well for some of the light-draught gun-boats or steam-boats to tow up to that point a million of rations on flats, to be put on shore there and covered with tarpaulins. In speaking of a million of rations, I do not mean that meat rations should be anything like full. We are building roads to that point on both sides of the river, and I can send a regiment to guard the stores. If a wagon train can be spared from the neighborhood of Carthage, it might do well to send it from there to Kingston with stores.

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.