Parke, with the bulk of the Ninth and Twenty-third Army Corps and 4,000 cavalry, is near Rutledge, in pursuit of Longstreet, who was at Bean's Station yesterday.

I don't think our troops can possibly overtake him. Foster is still at Tazewell with his infantry; what he intends to do seems uncertain.

Our steam-boats are stuck fast, 22 miles below Kingston, and no possibility of reaching them from this with wagons.

G. GRANGER,

Major-General.

MUNFORDVILLE, KY.,

December 9, 1863.

Captain A. C. SEMPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General,. Louisville:

Richardson, with 40 men, crossed Cumberland on the 7th, Major Martin in pursuit.

Richardson was at Gooch's Mill, on Little Barren River, at 6 p.m. yesterday. All points in my district have been notified of his movements.

E. H. HOBSON,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Chattanooga, December 9, 1863.

Brigadier General GEORGE CROOK,

Huntsville, Ala.,:

You will arrest William McDowell, a violent rebel, and hold him as a hostage for Christopher Sheets, a Union man, arrested for his loyalty to the United States Government and now confined by the rebels in a loathsome jail in Southern Alabama. You will treat Mr. McDowell in the same manner that the rebels treat Mr. Sheets,and notify the commander of the nearest rebel force that such action has been taken.

By command of Major-General Thomas:

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

PULASKI, December 9, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT:

In pursuance of your instructions I pressed all the negroes in this country and put them to work on the bridges, cutting wood for railroad, ballasting up railroad, &c., so as to have it not only ready to run, but also to have material to run it with, which it is now entirely destitute of.

The recruiting officers for colored troops claim the right to open recruiting officers along my line; if this is done I lose my negroes, which at this time would be very detrimental to the service. So far I have refused to allow them to recruit. They have now received