much fighting. I do not see how his route can be any other than up the valley. You will no doubt be able to inflict a heavy blow upon his retreating column.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

TAZEWELL, Tennessee, December 2, 1863-12 noon.

(Received 5.05 p. m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

A party of 8,1 of whom is an officer, have arrived; left Knoxville on Monday night. They report that General Burnside was strongly intrenched, sufficiently supplied, and confident of holding out any reasonable length of time. Midnight on Saturday Longstreet made a desperate assault on Fort Sanders with a picked command. The engagement lasted all night until 7 o'clock next morning. The rebels were completely repulsed with a loss of 1,000 men, of whom 250 were killed. General Burnside lost 45 killed and wounded. Some of the prisoners reported that Buckner's forces had joined Longstreet, whole entire force is estimated at 38,000 men. One of the party brought dispatches to you, which I have not yet seen, giving full report of operations up to time of writing. The general impression I received from the officer who gives this information is that General Burnside and his men are in excellent spirits, and confident of their ability to defeat the efforts of the enemy.

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General.

(Same to General Grant.)

TAZEWELL, Tennessee, December 2, 1863-9 p. m.

(Received 5.30 p. m., 3rd.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Heavy skirmishing has been continued all day between our advance cavalry and the enemy in the direction of Maynardville, which has resulted in Colonel Graham, commanding the cavalry, being driven back to the infantry supports on Clinch River, where all attempts to force a passage were repulsed. Ransom's division of three brigades of infantry, en route to Knoxville, is reported near Bean's Station.

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General.

(Same to General Grant.)

TAZEWELL, Tennessee, December 2, 1863-12.10 p. m.

(Received 5. p. m., 3rd.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Your dispatch received. My force is so small-being only 5,000 men of the six-months' troops-that I shall not be able to do a great deal. Still you may rely upon our doing something at the right