directly to the War Department. It was, I presume, a mistake of your assistant adjutant-general calling upon me for weekly reports. I have directed my adjutant-general, however, to make out and send you a copy of the consolidated return. You will find a great disproportion of artillery and cavalry, and the regiments very generally new levies lately ordered to the departments.

I am, general, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY BRIGADE,
McMinnville, Tenn., July 24, 1862.

Major H. L. CLAY,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Knoxville, Tenn.:

SIR: Yours of 20th ultimo is just received, requesting me to send my captured battery and other public property which I had taken back across the Tennessee River. In reply I would say that your order had been anticipated to some extent. I sent by Colonel Wharton, of the Eighth Texas Regiment, all the wagons and mules, with were necessary for my brigade. I also forwarded all the horses (after selecting the best to mount my men), replacing those I kept by others which were unfit at present for service. The battery I have still and should like much to retain it, as I have a competent captain who has organized a company, and with it I feel greater security. I will await your further orders in regard to the battery. I also retained 100 muskets, which were necessary for recruits that have joined my brigade. I will retain my present position unless I find I am pressed by the enemy. I have information that the enemy are falling back from Battle Creek. I have two engines and all of their transportation between the break across Mill Creek and Munfreesborough. I am of the opinion that he will fall back with the most of his force of Murfreesborough. We have succeeded in drawing 10,000 from Athens, via Columbia, to Nashville and to Murfreesborough, and also causing them to move three times in the past five days between Nashville and Murfreesborough.

Yours, respectfully,

N. B. FORREST,

Brigadier-General, Second Cavalry Brigade,

KNOXVILLE, TENN., July 25, 1862.

Colonel A. W. REYNOLDS,

Commanding Fourth Brigade,

Colonel THOMAS H. TAYLOR,

Commanding Fifth Brigade:

COLONEL: Intelligence has been received from a spy that the enemy intend to attack Knoxville to-morrow morning at daylight. Their plan is, having made a demonstration upon Clinton this morning, and hoping thereby to draw our forces to the defense of that point, to advance by the Jacksborough road to this place. They are said to have a force of 3,000 infantry and several hundred cavalry. The major-general commanding has directed the officer commanding at Wallace's Cross-Roads