that on the Murfreesborough road I found bad, owing to recent rains. I think I will find sufficient flour, meat, and forage to subsist my command in this vicinity, making it necessary to transport small rations only from Nashville or Murfreesborough. This will enable me to recruit the train of the cavalry, now in very bad condition from hard service during the campaign of the past summer and fall. Under instructions from Major-General Grant to Brig. General W. S. Smith, chief of cavalry, Division of the Mississippi, I have directed that all serviceable horses and mules be taken for the benefit of the United States, "cash vouchers" to be given to parties known to be loyal, vouchers "to be paid as the Government may direct" to those known to be disloyal or doubtful. I am satisfied that I can mount many men and supply the places of mules unfit for service, at the same time prevent many serviceable animals from falling into the hands of guerrillas infesting this locality, but I hope soon to rid the country of this latter class.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. L. ELLIOTT,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry.

MAYSVILLE, November 21, 1863.

Maj. General J. J. REYNOLDS,

Chief of Staff:

Captain Lilly's battery left here the next morning after receiving the order. I sent two regiments to Colonel Long at Woodville in addition to his brigade, supposing that would give him 1,500, but I next morning started the Seventeenth Indiana with some other detachments after Colonel Long. They expected to reach Chattanooga this morning. The bushwhackers have kept the wires down for the last three or four days. I had an expedition down the Tennessee River that destroyed some nine boats between Whitesburg and Decatur,and some of them 60 feet long. They crossed over the river and drove the rebels and took their boats. From the best information I can get, there are only two small regiments and one battery on the other side of the river doing picket duty. Lee and Roddey have gone down to Mississippi; also that they have eaten all the forage on that side of the river. What shall I do with the hogs and sheep I collect over the country?

GEORGE CROOK,

Brigadier-General.

CHATTANOOGA, November 21, 1863.

J. B. ANDERSON,

Superintendent of Railroads, Nashville, Tennessee:

Drop the whole subject of Nashville and Decatur Railroad. The single road from Nashville to Stevenson will require the entire attention of one person. I will put other parties on the other road to build it.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.