met with no large force. Twelve prisoners were taken, 5 horses and 1 mule, 5 revolvers, 2 double-barreled shot-guns, 1 rifle, buggy, and harness. The prisoners were sent to Nashville this morning.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES D. MORGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain CONNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Seventh Division.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FIRST DIV., ARMY OF THE MISS.,
Stone's River, Tenn., November 30, 1862.

MAJOR:In compliance with instructions from the general commanding Fourteenth Army Corps, two regiments from my brigade, the Sixtieth Illinois and Tenth Michigan, Colonel Toler, of the Sixtieth Illinois, commanding, left camp at 2 o'clock p.m., on the new pike, with orders to proceed to Baird's Mills and Rural Hill, and examine the roads and country, and, if they met the enemy, to whip them.

At 4 p.m. three regiments of cavalry, under the command of Colonel Milliken, passed through my lines on the Lebanon road. I advised the colonel to send a battalion of his command out on the Statesville road, and by so doing the whole of the country to the left of the Murfreesborough pike would be covered. The colonel's instructions prevented his doing so. I inclose a rough draft of the roads named.

A scouting party of 25 mounted infantry, under the command of Captain Powell, was sent out on the Statesville road yesterday. They met a party of guerrillas about 7 miles out, drove in their advance, taking 2 rifles and 1 horses. The main body was found strongly posted on the opposite side of a creek, and in number three or four to one. The captain thought it advisable not to attack them, his command being poorly armed.

The work on the bridges progressing slowly; will be ready in a few days for planking.

Very respectfully,

JAMES D. MORGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major GARESCHE,

Chief of Staff.

No. 2. Report of Colonel Silas C. Toler, Sixtieth Illinois Infantry.

HDQRS. SIXTIETH REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOL. INFANTRY,
Camp on Stone's River, December 2, 1862.

LIEUTENANT:In accordance with orders of November 29, we moved on Central or Rock River pike, and bivouacked for the night at Widow Hays' spring, 5 miles from Rock River. At daylight next morning marched on the same road to Gallatin and La Vergne road; changed direction to the right on that road to Chicken road or old Central pike, on which we moved to Baird's Mills, reaching there about 1.30 p.m., and bivouacked for the night. The Central pike is macadamized, but very rough country, broken and hilly, but no serious obstructions which would serve to impede or delay the march of any considerable number of troops. The Gallatin and La Vergne road is narrow and rough, and crossed frequently by neighborhood roads. We struck the Chicken road about 1 miles east of Rural Hill and 8 miles from Baird's Mills, and