NASHVILLE, January 14, 1863.

Major-General ROSECRANS:

Report of a scout to-night:

I left Nashville on the 1st of January on a scout. I went to Sparta, and from Sparta to within 12 miles of Chattanooga. On my trip I gathered the following facts that can be relied on as true: At Cumberland Gap there are 4,000 men; at Knoxville 5,000, and they are being largely re-enforced. They are taking plank to floor the railroad bridge there. They have 1,500 negroes employed in throwing up breastworks at Stevenson and Bridgeport, Ala., near Pikeville, in the Sequatchie Valley. I saw Scott's command and another regiment going on to re-enforce Knoxville. This was on Sunday last. I left Sparta on Monday morning last. At Smithville I learned that John H. Morgan was encamped with 5,000 men. I brought with me through the lines four rebel newspapers.

WM. TRUESDAIL,

Chief of Police.

OFFICE CHIEF OF POLICE, FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND, Nashville, January 14, 1863.

General ROSECRANS:

SIR: It has become known to this office that sundry persons are engaged, under pretense of loyalty and other influence, in obtaining passes and permits to get possession of negro men, women, and children estrayed from their masters in the country and city, and take them out to their owners; when once outside of your lines, run them South for the rewards offered by persons in the interest of the Confederate Government and Army. What would you advise in such cases?

WM. TRUESDAIL,

Chief of Police.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. GEN.'S OFFICE,

Numbers 21.
Washington, January 14, 1863.

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VI. Brigadier General J. A. Garfield is assigned to duty in the Army of the Cumberland, under Major-General Rosecrans, to whose headquarters he will repair and report in person.

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By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MURFREESBOROUGH, TENN., January 15, 1863-12.15 p. m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

If you cannot add to my numerical strength, please make a great effort to send me 5,000 revolving rifles. Each rifle will add a man to my strength, and for the service for which I wish them they will add two men for each gun.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.