[Inclosure.] Several citizens from Cocke County, near Parrottsville, who left there yesterday, came to my camp to-day. From them I learned that Longstreet commenced the construction of a pontoon early last week at the Briar Thickets, 3 miles from the Chucky (south side), on the road leading from Morristown to Paint Rock; that day before yesterday a dispatch came to the men in charge to move to the sawmill at Parrottsville (where they prepared to take the stuff already made yesterday) and to go on with the work. The citizens think the pontoons will be thrown across the Chucky at Easterly's Ferry, 3 miles from Parrottsville on the road to Warrensburg. This is also the road leading to Paint Rock and Warm Springs. The French Broad River is now filled with floating ice, and is not fordable or ferryable. The rebel cavalry will have to leave East Tennessee for lack of forage, if they are not permitted to get the corn at Beaver Dam and elsewhere on this side of the river. The bearer is trustworthy. Please send me word by him of our forces. JANUARY 10-16, 1864.-Expedition from Vicksburg, Miss., to Sunnyside Landing, Ark. Itinerary of the Third Brigade, Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, Brig. Gen. Jasper A. Maltby, U. S. Army, commanding, for January, 1864.* January 10, the brigade embarked on steamers Madison, Era, and Northerner, and proceeded up the Mississippi River to Sunnyside Landing, 200 miles, to disperse rebel forces that were obstructing navigation, and said to be attempting to cross arms and munitions from the east to the west side. It having been ascertained at Sunnyside that there were no rebel troops on either side of the river within reach of infantry forces, the expedition was abandoned and the brigade returned, reaching Vicksburg on the 16th. The brigade has been in camp at Vicksburg the balance of the month. JANUARY 11, 1864.-Scout to Lexington, Tenn. Report of Col. Isaac R. Hawkins, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry. PARIS, TENN.. SIR: I have the honor to report that up to last evening I remained at Huntingdon. On the 11th I detached 100 men and sent them to Lexington. They captured some prisoners, and killed 1 guerrilla in the very act of robbing. Captain Beatty brings the intelligence that the Confederates are rapidly concentrating at Jackson; they have for some days been in considerable force near Trezevant, and *From monthly return. after leaving Huntingdon I was overtaken by a messenger who stated that there was at McLemoresville and vicinity 1,000 rebels. This must be a concentration of Newsom's men with those previously near Trezevant. A Colonel Hawkins, from near Nashville, passed Lexington going toward Jackson about three days since, and from all south of Huntingdon there seems to be a general movement in that way, and it is certain that none of Newsom's men went out and that his headquarters were on the 10th at Jackson. When I left Union City I had 262 men. I now have 364, and think with force sufficient to hold the country I could recruit a regiment in a short time. I much need arms, clothing, horses, and horse equipments. I would respectfully suggest that the establishment of a post at Trenton at the earliest practicable moment would be attended by the best of results. large number, say 70, conscripts have reported to me, and asked to be paroled, in some few cases bringing arms and horses. A It will be totally impracticable for Lieutenant Campbell to reach his regiment by way of Lexington, and he will this day report to Colonel Mills, at Paris, Tenn. I have the honor, general, to be your obedient servant, ISAAC R. HAWKINS, Colonel, Commanding Seventh Tennessee Cavalry. Brig. Gen. A. J. SMITH, Commanding Third Division, Sixteenth Corps. JANUARY 11-12, 1864-Expedition from Maryville up the Little Tennessee River, Tenn. Report of Lieut. Col. Robert Klein, Third Indiana Cavalry. HDQRS. THIRD BATTALION, THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY, Maryville, Tenn., January 14, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to report the following in regard to a late expedition from my command up the Little Tennessee River, in which I broke up a nest of guerrillas composed of absentees, deserters, and paroled soldiers of the rebel army, and rebel citizens who had been stealing stock and goods from the loyal citizens of Blount and Monroe Counties, and taking the same to North Carolina to sell them. Their force was variously estimated from 50 to 200 strong, camped on both sides of the Tennessee River, at a place known as Chilhowee, 24 miles from this place. I left camp with 100 men on the 11th instant at 3 p. m., and stopped at night at the Harrison Ford, 8 miles from their camp, until next morning, when at early dawn I attempted to throw half my force across the river, which was nearly swimming for a horse all of the way across; current swift, and much mush ice running. Here I lost First Sergt. Bernhard Kraft, Company K, and his horse by drowning, and came near losing more. was only able to get 28 men across on the best horses. We then moved up the river, on either side, in concert, as fast as the blockaded roads would admit, scattering their pickets and charging into I their camps, routing them completely, capturing 1 captain, 1 first lieutenant, and 21 men, their arms, horses, equipments, &c., without further loss to us. The prisoners have been put in charge of the provost-marshal of this county to forward to General Carter; the horses, arms, and equipments are taken up on my quartermaster's return. Having no intermediate headquarters to report to, I make this report direct to your headquarters. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT KLEIN, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding. ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Headquarters Department of the Ohio. JANUARY 12, 1864.-Skirmish near Mossy Creek, Tenn. Report of Col. Oscar H. La Grange, First Wisconsin Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, First Cavalry Division. HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that the forage detail from the Second Brigade to-day drove back one of the enemy's outposts, for the purpose of foraging behind it. Killed 1 and captured 15 prisoners, without loss. Very respectfully, Capt. JOHN PRATT, O. H. LA GRANGE, Asst. Adjt. Gen., First Cavalry Division, Dept. Cumberland. JANUARY 13, 1864.-Skirmish at Ragland Mills, Bath County, Ky. Report of Capt. William P. Anderson, Asst. Adjt. Gen. U. S. Army. LEXINGTON, KY., January 15, 1864. GENERAL: On the 10th instant Col. J. M. Brown, Forty-fifth Regiment Kentucky Infantry, stationed at Mount Sterling, sent a party of 12 enlisted men, under command of Lieut. Robert H. Wilson, of his regiment, on reconnoitering service. Hearing of a party of 35 guerrillas being encamped at Ragland Mills, Bath County, Ky., Lieutenant Wilson attacked them at daylight on the morning of the 13th, taking 13 of their number. Lieutenant Wilson's loss was but 1 horse killed. General POTTER, Chief of Staff. W. P. ANDERSON. JANUARY 13, 1864.-Skirmish near Collierville, Tenn. Report of Maj. Ira R. Gifford, Ninth Illinois Cavalry. HEADQUARTERS NINTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY, Collierville, Tenn., January 13, 1864. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that in pursuance of orders from your headquarters, I moved out on the road to Pleasant Hill with a battalion of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, numbering about 60 men; while crossing the Nonconnah we heard firing about 1 mile to our left. I moved over the stream as rapidly as possible, the crossing being very bad, and before the command had crossed the firing seemed to be coming toward us. I ordered the advance company forward about 60 rods to a road crossing at right angle, where I saw a small party of soldiers pass at full speed. I knew them to be our own men by their uniform. I then ordered a halt, dismounted two companies, and moved forward in direction of the firing, sending one company around on our left flank mounted. We had advanced about 100 yards through a thicket of brush when we met the enemy coming toward us, numbering from 50 to 100 men, and within 50 yards of us. I then opened fire on them and emptied many saddles, the enemy falling back in great confusion, leaving 1 man mortally wounded on the field, 5 horses, 5 carbines and revolvers, together with 4 prisoners out of the 5 they had previously taken from the command sent out previous to our being ordered out. I skirmished on through the woods about three-quarters of a mile, then mounted my men and pursued the enemy about 3 miles, and finding they had too much the start, I returned to camp. Our loss, From indications on the field the enemy's loss must have been none. heavy. I remain your obedient servant, Col. A. G. BRACKETT, IRA R. GIFFORD, Major Ninth Illinois Cavalry. Commanding Second Brigade. Great credit is due company commanders. [Indorsement.] HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIV., 16TH A. C., Collierville, Tenn., January 14, 1864. Respectfully forwarded to division headquarters. It has been ascertained since the fight that 1 rebel was killed and 7 were wounded. Private James A. Montgomery, of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, Company M, is missing. The party which Major Gifford attacked was the same one which fired into the railroad train on the 12th instant. ALBERT G. BRACKETT, JANUARY 13–14, 1864.-Affair at Sevierville (13th) and skirmish at Schultz' Mill, Cosby Creek, Tenn. (14th). REPORTS. No. 1.—Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, U. S. Army, commanding Military Division of the Mississippi. No. 2.-Maj. Gen. John G. Foster, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Ohio. No. 3.-Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, U. S. Army, commanding Cavalry, Department of the Ohio. No. 4.-Col. William J. Palmer, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. No. 5.-Col. John B. Palmer, Fifty-eighth North Carolina Infantry, commanding Western District of North Carolina. No. 1. Report of Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, U. S. Army, commanding Military Division of the Mississippi. January 17, 1864. NASHVILLE, TENN., (Rec'd 5.30 p. m. 18th.) On the 14th instant General Vance made a raid toward Sevierville and captured a train of 23 wagons. He was promptly pursued by Colonel Palmer, who recaptured the wagons and took 1 ambulance loaded with medicines, 150 saddle-horses, and 100 stand of arms. Vance and his assistant adjutant-general and inspector-general are among the prisoners captured. Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief. U. S. GRANT, No 2. Report of Maj. Gen. John G. Foster, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Ohio. KNOXVILLE, TENN., I have the honor to report that on the 14th General Vance, brother of Governor Vance, of North Carolina, with 300 cavalry, made a raid toward Sevierville and captured a train of 23 wagons sent out from Knoxville for forage. General Sturgis immediately ordered Colonel Palmer with the Fifteenth Pennsylvania (Anderson Cavalry) to pursue them. He did so with such activity that he came up with the party as they had halted to feed, 23 miles from Sevierville, surprised them, recaptured all the wagons, drivers, and animals, and in addition a fine ambulance filled with medical stores, 150 saddle-horses, and 100 stand of arms. General Vance, with his adjutant-general and inspector-general, were among the prisoners. The remainder of the rebel party broke and fled to the mountains, closely pursued by the Union Home Guards. General Sturgis speaks in high terms of Colonel Palmer's activity and skill. As he has exhibited these qualities on several occasions before, I recommend him for appointment |