SPRING HILL, June 23, 1863-7 a. m.

Major-General WHEELER:

My command present is composed of three regiments; effective strength, 1,100. Shall cooking utensils and ambulances be taken? I am ready to move at a moment's notice.

J. W. STARNES,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

KNOXVILLE, June 23, 1863.

General W. W. MACKALL,

Chief of Staff, Shelbyville:

The following is an extract from a letter written by a lady from Lexington, Ky., dated June 7, addressed to a surgeon of Byrd's Tennessee regiment, and dropped by that officer while dressing the wounds of a Federal soldier, after the affair here:

Lexington has been in a state of confusion for several days past. A great number of troops are passing to and from constantly. General Burnside has received orders to move on to Washington with his corps immediately, as that city is threatened by the rebels. General B.'s campaign in Kentucky was quite a short one. A large number of ambulances belonging to his command passed here yesterday evening on their return to Cincinnati.

This is without doubt genuine.

S. B. BUCKNER,

Major-General.

(Mr. Dodge will also send the above dispatch to General S. Cooper, Richmond.)

KNOXVILLE, June 23, 1863.

Colonel [G. T.] MAXWELL,

Loudon:

Captain Moore, at Wartburg, is instructed to rally a sufficient number of cavalry for the purpose of picketing all approaches to Wartburg, and give speedy information of movements of the enemy to Lieutenant-Colonel [R. H.] Moore, commanding Fain's Georgia regiment, now at Kingston, who, in his turn, will inform you by courier of what is going on. Furnish a copy of this to Lieutenant-Colonel Moore, at Kingston, and Captain Moore, in command of cavalry at Wartburg. Instruct them to organize at once an efficient line of couriers, and to press a sufficient number of good horses, if necessary, for that purpose.

V. SHELIHA,

Chief of Staff.

SHELBYVILLE, June 24, 1863-6.15 p. m.

Lieutenant-General POLK:

GENERAL: General Wharton has been ordered to take two regiments of cavalry from the front and move toward Manchester. Please put another regiment of infantry on the Murfreesborough pike, to support your outpost, now weakened by the withdrawal of the cavalry and by being more advanced to the front on the call of General Wharton.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. MACKALL,

Chief of Staff.