instruments to call on you for engine to lay wires to treaty City. Engine here cannot get up mountain with twenty-nine bales of wire and three casks of insulators, as I telegraphed Van Duzer yesterday; besides, we need the engine ourselves. There is said to be a fine engine at Decherd. Cannot it be ordered down? It can push our train over the mountain this morning and then report for telegraph purposes.

W. H. LYTLE,

Brigadier-General.

[23.]

WINCHESTER, July 30, 1863.

General LYTLE,

Cowan:

I will endeavor to get the engine changed to-day. Telegraph man must have patience; he cannot get the train until our troops are supplied. Give directions to Captain Mallory to push down all his supplies to Stevenson. If I get the other engine it can be run up to treaty City for telegraph man. Send over that engineer officer, Meister, and his map.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

[23.]

STEVENSON, July 30, 1863.

Colonel G. P. THRUSTON,

Chief of Staff:

In obedience to your telegram two regiments of infantry went to Bridgeport this morning, cavalry scouting on the flanks. I have not received any reports from them yet.

B. LAIBOLDT,

Colonel, Commanding.

(Same to General Sheridan.)

[23.]

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION, RESERVE CORPS,
Clarksville, Tenn., July 31, 1863.

Brigadier General J. A. GARFIELD,

Chief of Staff, Winchester, Tenn.:

Since my last report the forces at Clarksville have been actively occupied in the performance of the various duties cannon to a post of this class, and have scouted with energy and effect the extensive range of wild country bordering on the Cumberland River, and thence southward. The command at this post has been diminished by the loss of the Third Battalion, of Eighth Kentucky Cavalry, which was ordered to Lebanon, Ky., to be mustered out of the service, their term of enlistment having expired. The two 30-pounder rifled pieces, the arrival of which I had the honor to report in my last letter, have been taken from here and sent elsewhere, thus leaving the armament of the fort to consist of two 24-[pounder] smooth-bores. The 'effective force" return of this day shows an aggregate for duty of 1,294 men, of whom 210 are well mounted, but armed and equipped in a most ineffective manner. As before, I have constantly kept mounted men moving in such sections of the surrounding country as are most subject to visits from the enemy, and wherever a guerrilla band or other such organization is reported within reach I