should go half-way between the places, that you may have timely notice of rebel bands passing through toward Greensburg and New Haven. I have instructed the commanding officer at Glasgow to send scouting parties each day toward Columbia. Caution your men, that they may avoid collision with scouting parties from Glasgow. Your men should be sent out under instructed to arrest all soldiers who are found absent, not having the proper authority granted by the proper officers. All suspicious persons found passing from Tennessee, who cannot give a proper account of their movements, should be carried to your headquarters and carefully examined. Send responsible commissioned officers with each scouting party. Ascertain, if possible, the names of citizens, their places of residence, &c., belonging to rebels Hamilton, Hugs and Company. From time to time you will forward to these headquarters their name, &c. I shall expect you to use the utmost vigilance in drilling and disciplining the troops under your command. Use every precaution to prevent surprises.

Very respectfully,

HOBSON,

Brigadier-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT. ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

No. 369.
Washington, November 16, 1863.

I. By direction of the President of the United States, Maj. General J. G. Foster will relieve Maj. General A. E. Burnside in the command of the Department and Army of the Ohio. On being so relieved,

Major-General Burnside will report in person to the

Adjutant-General of the Army.

II. The department will hereafter consist of the State of Kentucky north of the Tennessee River, and such part of the State of Tennessee as may be occupied by the troops of that army.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOUTH CHICKAMAUGA SIGNAL STATION, November 16, 1863. (Evening report.)

Captain JESSE MERRILL,

Chief Signal Officer, Department of the Cumberland:

CAPTAIN: The enemy have established a new picket-post about 100 yards on the river above the mouth of Chickamauga Creek. There were no pickets at that point on yesterday, and I am informed by an officer of the Ohio hundred and twenty-fifth Illinois that there has been no picket at that point at any time since their regiments has been encamped here.

About 2 o'clock p.m. about a regiment of infantry moved up from west side of the ridge, on the road near where the unpainted house stood, to the crest of the ridge.

After reaching the crest,it moved a short distance along it in the direction of our right and thence down the west side of the ridge. About 30 cavalry moved along the crest of the ridge from the