MUNFORDVILLE, December 31, 1862.

Lieutenant-Colonel GARESCHE:

Information just in reports Forrest within 30 miles of Elizabethtown, with a force of 10,000. We have sent out to ascertain truth of report. If true, I should like to have another brigade of my command join me at Rolling Fork, leaving one brigade at Gallatin. Let me know immediately whether it can be. The troops in Kentucky are not sufficiently concentrated to operate efficiently against the force of the enemy supposed to be here.

SPEED S. FRY,

[Brigadier-General.]

MUNFORDVILLE, December 31, 1862.

Major-General ROSECRANS:

Reliable scouts report that Colonel [General] Forrest, with 5,000 cavalry, encamped at Stevensburg, 10 miles from Elizabethtown. From information gathered on the route, I believe this to be true. Forrest's friends report that Forrest is the advance of Breckinridge's division, 40,000 strong.

H. H. THORNBERG,

Bearer of dispatches from General Boyle and Colonel Anderson.

Abstract from monthly return of the Fourteenth Army Corps, Department of the Cumberland Major General W. S. Rosecrans commanding, for December, 1862; headquarters Murfreesborough, Tenn.*

Present for duty.

Command. Officer Men. Aggregate Aggregat

s. present e

for duty. present.

Department staff 17 --- 17 17

CENTER CORPS

(Murfreesborough).

Major-General GEORGE

H. THOMAS.

Staff 19 --- 19 19

FIRST DIVISION.

Brig. General SPEED

S. FRY.

Staff 5 --- 5 5

Infantry (three 366 6,907 7,273 8,388

brigades)

Artillery 9 238 247 273

Total First Division 380 7,145 7,525 8,666

THIRD DIVISION.

Major-General LOVELL

H. ROUSSEAU.

Staff 11 --- 11 11

Infantry (three 287 4,869 5,156 6,255

brigades)

Cavalry 11 175 186 243

Artillery 13 343 356 374

Total Third Division 322 5,387 5,709 6,883

Pieces of

artillery.

Command. Aggregate Heavy. Field. Aggregat

present e last

and monthly

absent. return

present

and

absent.

Department staff 17 --- --- 17

CENTER CORPS

(Murfreesborough).

Major-General GEORGE H.

THOMAS.

Staff 19 --- --- 19

FIRST DIVISION.

Brig. General SPEED S.

FRY.

Staff 5 --- --- 5

Infantry (three 11,873 --- --- 11,943

brigades)

Artillery 367 --- --- ---

Total First Division 12,245 --- --- 11,948

THIRD DIVISION.

Major-General LOVELL H.

ROUSSEAU.

Staff 13 --- --- 13

Infantry (three 9,959 --- --- 10,021

brigades)

Cavalry 331 --- --- 333

Artillery 523 --- 24 530

Total Third Division 10,826 --- 24 10,897

---------------

*For composition of this command, same date, see Part I, pp. 174-182.

---------------