this place on the morning of the 19th and were committing depredations on the inhabitants, robbing houses and arresting all those citizens who had shown kindness to the officers and men of my command while stationed here, I left my camp near Hartsville at 12 m. on the same day and encamped about 5 miles from Gallatin.

Fearing that the Federals would return by rail to Nashville, I dispatched Captain [J. B.] Hutcheson with Company F and a portion of my advanced guard to burn up the trestle work at Saundersville, and thus cut off their retreat, while I attacked Gallatin. Some delay was experienced owing to the difficulties of the ground during a dark night, but the plan met with entire success. The trestle work was burned, and the guard of about 60 men driven into a stockade were followed so closely by my men that they ran them out on the other side, killing some and taking 16 prisoners; the remainder got into the woods and escaped.

The 300 Federals having, I suppose, advice of my arrival, attempted to leave by train with some 60 citizens they had arrested in Gallatin, with no other charge against them than that of being favorable to our cause, but cut off by Company E, of my command, they were obliged to leave the cars and march their prisoners along the Nashville railway track. I pushed on with four companies and came up with a detachment of about 80 men, under command of Captain [Abraham H.] Miller; 35 prisoners were taken by my men and the remainder either fell or escaped into the woods. A second detachment were reached who had charge of the prisoners. I recovered 40 of these poor fellows, who had been treated with great cruelty; the remainder were hurried on by the Federals and lodged in a block-house, of stockade, which I attacked, but met with such determined resistance that I retreated toward Gallatin. Before this fort I lost 2 of my best officers and 3 men.

I took in this expedition some 120 prisoners, killed and wounded some 60 of the enemy, and carried off at least 200 muskets, which I have distributed among my new recruits.* Had I not been obliged to leave my howitzers at Knoxville to repair the carriages worn-out in my last expedition to Kentucky I could have captured every detachment of guards on bridges between Gallatin and Nashville; but these stockades are not to be taken by troops unaccompanied by artillery.

When evening came I was with my command within 8 miles of Nashville, having destroyed every bridge between Gallatin and the Edgefield Junction. I have learned also from an engineer of high standing that the tunnel burned on the last expedition is so completely destroyed that it never can be repaired, the rocks having fallen in in every direction.

I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, general, your most obedient servant,

JOHN H. MORGAN

Colonel, Commanding Cavalry.

General RANDOLPH.

HDQRS. MORGAN'S Regiment, Hartsville, Tenn., August 22, 1862.

GENERAL: I beg to confirm my dispatch of the 22nd instant announcing the result of yesterday's expedition. My command, consisting of my own regiment, 700 strong, and a squadron of Texas Rangers, numbering about 100 men, returned that day, worn-out, to Gallatin.