did, afforded a reasonable ground for my supposition, the remainder of your letter imputing discourtesy is unwarranted,nor was any discourtesy in fact intended. Of the arrests referred to in your letter, I have not the slightest information, nor do I believe that any such have been made, unless allusion is made to the arrest of three spies, of whom one was caught with plans of the fortifications round this city, concealed in the heel of his boot. I am gratified at your reiteration of the sentiment already expressed by you, and assure you that no threats of retaliation are necessary, nor do I deem them becoming. Believe me, whenever retaliation are necessary,nor do I deem them becoming. Believe me, whenever retaliation is attempted, I know how, and will not fail, to respond to it.

I shall be pleased to receive an explanation of how the cartel came to be violated by you in sending prisoners taken by you, stripped of their blankets and overcoats, to a point not designated in the cartel, nor agreed upon by me, for an exchange; this when I have clothed the prisoners taken from your army.

You are pleased to remark on the frequency with which I send persons to you under flag of truce. If I do so, it is because I find it impossible to resist the appeal made to my feelings of humanity. I have done it against my better judgment,and, although I have in every case exacted from those thus sent that they would reveal nothing to the prejudice of this army, I have yet seen it made matter of boats, in the Chattanooga Rebel, that information valuable to you had been obtained from ladies thus paroled and sent to your lines by me. I can assure you that you could hardly gratify me more than by giving me notice that you would no longer receive any one coming from my lines. I should be thus relieved from many importunities, and feel under lasting obligations to you.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General, Commanding.

LOUISVILLE, December 12, 1862

Major-General ROSECRANS:

I have ordered General Granger to send one of his best regiments to Colonel Bruce, at Russellville. I will send, if you can spare transportation, 1,000 convalescents to Bowling Green. If you will send one or two regiments to Bowling Green and one battery, I will move Colonel Bruce to Trenton or Clarksville, and order force of Colonel Foster, on the Ohio River, to Hopkinsville, near enough to co-operate and support.

J. T. BOYLE,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Nashville, December 12, 1862

Brigadier-General BOYLE, Louisville:

General likes your plan about Clarksville. Will send you the Twentieth Kentucky straightway, and try and send another regiment and a battery. Keep us advised of all you hear. If rebels dare enter, we will fit up expedition to cut them to pieces.

By order of Major-General Rosecrans:

J. P. GARESCHE,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.