MOUND CITY, ILL., December 3 [4?], 1864—5 p. m. Major-General THOMAS: Your confidential dispatch of 11 o'clock yesterday just received. Accept my heartiest thanks for the information given and correction made. I have had night and Sunday work done to get another good iron-clad ready. Hope to see you in a few days. Please instruct operators always to hand you a copy of my dispatches to my officers operating near you. Wishing you the fullest success, Faithfully, yours, Major-General THOMAS, S. P. LEE. U.S. STEAMER MOOSE, Off Nashville, Tenn., December 4, 1864. Comdg. Army of the Cumberland, Nashville, Tenn.: GENERAL: The enemy has heavy batteries on the river at Bell's Mills. I went down last night and engaged them, and had them silenced for a time. Two of my boats passed below them, and are still down the river. It was too dark for us to continue the engagement successfully, there being danger of getting our boats foul and unmanageable. I am going with the other iron-clad to make a reconnaissance in force this morning. From the force that we found last night, the appearance of the batteries, the great number of camp-fires, &c., I am led to believe that Hood's left rests on the river at that point, and that Forrest commands them. Will you please telegraph to Clarksville forbidding steamers coming above that place, and also allow none to leave Nashville for down the river until the batteries are removed. The enemy seems to have a heavy force at this end of his line. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, LE ROY FITCH, Lieut. Commander, Comdg. 9th and 10th Dists., Miss. Squadron. Major-General THOMAS, U.S. STEAMER MOOSE, Cumberland River, December 4, 1864. Comdg. Army of the Cumberland, Nashville, Tenn.: GENERAL: I have cleaned out the rebel battery and recaptured the two steamers captured by the enemy last night, and driven their left flank back from the river at that point, though I do not think it safe for transports to run yet from Clarksville up. I think Forrest commands the left of Hood's army, as General Buford's brigade engaged us last night. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, LE ROY FITCH, Lieut. Commander, Comdg. 9th and 10th Dists., Miss. Squadron. Maj. Gen. GEORGE H. THOMAS, U. S. STEAMER MOOSE, Comdg. the Army of the Cumberland, Nashville, Tenn.: GENERAL: Your kind note* of this evening is received. I perceive you are under a slight error in regard to the position of the battery *Not found. which we engaged. The battery we engaged last night was not at Harpeth Shoals, but at Bell's Mills. It is about thirty-five miles from here to Harpeth, while it is only four miles to Bell's Mills-that is, four miles by land, but eighteen by river. The river makes a large bend and comes nearly back to the city. Bell's Landing is in this bend, at the nearest point to the city. I would have gone down to Harpeth to-day, but I heard firing in this direction and thought, perhaps, there would be a general attack, and that my boats might be able to assist you on the right. The heavy boats are so slow that I would not have been able to reach here again until to-morrow afternoon. I will make a thorough reconnaissance down there as soon as possible, and will inform you just as soon as I know the river to be clear. I will then try to arrange regular convoys, but at present, owing to the position of the enemy's left and the crookedness of the river, it would be best for us not to give the rebels the least chance to disable or capture any more of our boats. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, LE ROY FITCH, Lieut. Commander, Comdg. 9th and 10th Dists., Miss. Squadron. NASHVILLE, TENN., December 4, 1864. Brig. Gen. W. D. WHIPPLE, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: The following copy of a telegram just received is respectfully furnished you for the information of the major-general commanding: CLARKSVILLE, December 3, 1864. Courier just arrived reports that Colonel Thompson, in command of forces from Northwestern Railroad, will arrive to-morrow. I. P. WILLIAMS, Captain and Assistant Quartermaster. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. F. RUSLING, Captain and Assistant Quartermaster, Acting Chief Quartermaster, Department of the Cumberland. Maj. T. T. ECKERT: NASHVILLE, TENN., December 4, 1864–10 p.m. Nothing of special importance since last report. The enemy has extended his lines and thrown up works. Our artillery has been used quite freely to impede his movements, and the replies have been feeble and quickly silenced. At nearest point the rebel skirmish line is about 400 yards from our main works. Citizens and negroes have been impressed to complete the intrenchments, which are now very strong. River falling slowly. Large number of tin-clads and one heavy ironplated gun-boat here. All quiet at Chattanooga, Dalton, and Tullahoma. No news of Forrest. J. C. VAN DUZER. SPECIAL ORDERS, Į HDQRS. DEPT. AND ARMY OF THE TENN., No. 273. Louisville, Ky., December 4, 1864. I. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps, having reported to these headquarters on expiration of his leave of absence, and being unable to join his command on account of the present movement of the army, has permission, at his own request, to visit City Point, Va. By order of Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard: WM. T. CLARK, Assistant Adjutant-General. Colonel MAXWELL, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO, Nashville, Tenn., December 4, 1864. Comdg. Twenty-sixth Kentucky Infty., Bowling Green, Ky.: Come forward at once with your regiment, by rail, to this city and report at these headquarters. The quartermaster's department will furnish transportation. By order of Major-General Schofield: J. A. CAMPBELL, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. BOWLING GREEN, December 4, 1864. General SCHOFIELD: The Twenty-sixth Kentucky is ordered from this post to Nashville, which leaves this post almost without troops. Can the Twenty-sixtli Kentucky remain here? J. H. GRIDER, HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Major-General THOMAS: Edgefield, December 4, 1864—10 p. m. General Hammond reports a force of rebel cavalry at Lebanon, but no evidence of an intention to move to Gallatin further than that indicated by their position. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. H. WILSON, Brevet Major-General. HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY, Washington, D. C.: SIR: I have the honor to recommend and request the appointment of the following officers upon the staff of the Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi: Maj. E. B. Beaumont, assistant adjutant-general, to be assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel; First Lieut. Henry E. Noyes, Second U. S. Cavalry, to be assistant inspector-general, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel; Capt. Elias B. Carling, assistant quartermaster, to be chief quartermaster, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel; Capt. J. C, Read, commissary of subsistence of volunteers, to be chief commissary of subsistence, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, to date from December 4, 1864. These appointments, with the exception of the last, should be made to date from the 24th of October, 1864, the officers having performed their duties since that time. I have also to request that First Lieut. John N. Andrews, Eighth U. S. Infantry, may be appointed as an aide-de-camp on my personal staff, with the rank of major, to date from October 5, the date of my appointment to duty as a major-general by brevet. I hope the full staff may be allowed, as my command is extensive and demands all the activity and zeal the officers are capable of giving. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. H. WILSON, HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Lieut. JOSEPH HEDGES, Nashville, Tenn., December 4, 1864. Commanding Fourth U. S. Cavalry: LIEUTENANT: General Wilson directs that you report to him with the Fourth U. S. Cavalry, at an early hour to-morrow, at his headquarters in Edgefield. By command of Brevet Major-General Wilson: E. B. BEAUMONT, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. LOUISVILLE, December 4, 1864. Captain BEAUMONT, Assistant Adjutant-General: The Second Brigade, First Cavalry Division, marches for Nashville this morning. O. H. LA GRANGE, Colonel, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Byt. Maj. Gen. J. H. WILSON, Chief of Cavalry, Military Division of the Mississippi: I have received your two dispatches of this date. Will consult with Major Chambliss, who will be in town to-morrow, and will probably be able to secure the most of the horses in Louisville on the 7th and 8th. You have a statement of how the command is armed. Shall I arm them with muskets or anything I can get? They have now on hand here nearly enough, and before I get the requisite number of horses will probably have quite enough horse equipments to fit out the command. I will get my headquarters and the cavalry brigade off as soon as I possibly can after receiving an answer to this from you, and will leave Miller to come along with his brigade as soon as he can. There are 1,400 horses here for issue in the Government stables, and the Fourth Michigan takes 800 of them to-morrow. While I individually am disposed to do all that I can to get the division in the field, and to the assistance of the command at Nashville as soon as possible, and have no desire to keep it here, as it is doing no earthly good to itself or any one else here, still I think that although we might assist in relieving the temporary pressure by hurrying into the field poorly armed and equipped (though probably not sufficiently to affect the ultimate result), that the material and permanent interests of the service would not be as beneficially affected as if we were allowed to remain here and get into proper shape before entering the field. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ELI LONG, Brigadier-General, U. S. Vols., Comdg. Second Cavalry Division. HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Brig. Gen. EDWARD HATCH, Edgefield, Tenn., December 4, 1864. Commanding Fifth Division, Cavalry Corps: GENERAL: The brevet major-general commanding directs me to say that he has used every exertion to stop the straggling, plundering, and stealing from the citizens in this vicinity by the soldiers of this command; as yet, however, it has been unavailing. He therefore directs that you order a detail of 300 men, under an efficient field officer, to report at once at these headquarters, for the purpose of establishing a line of sentinels in front of this camp. He desires you to have a rollcall at once, and punish severely all men absent without proper authority. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, (Same to Brig. Gen. R. W. Johnson, commanding Sixth Division, and Brig. Gen. J. F. Knipe, commanding Seventh Division.) HEADQUARTERS SIXTH DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Maj. E. B. BEAUMONT, Edgefield, Tenn., December 4, 1864. Assistant Adjutant-General, Cavalry Corps: MAJOR: The officer who commanded the reconnaissance sent to investigate the reported crossing of the enemy at Bell's Mills, reports that he has visited the place of the alleged crossing, and finds no enemy there; that they captured two boats there, or near there, last evening and commenced unloading them; that our gun-boats coming up shelled the enemy, drove them off, reloaded the boats, and brought them away. |