n Decatur, Alabama, in the direction of Hood's line of retreat in MisThe enemy's cavalry, under Roddy, was met at Leighton, with whom Imer skirmished and pressed back in small squads towards the moune it was ascertained that Hood's trains passed through Leighton on ecember, and moved off toward Columbus, Mississippi. Avoiding 3 cavalry, Colonel Palmer left Leighton on the 31st December, moved La Grange and Russellville, and by the Cotton-gin road, and overemy's pontoon train, consisting of 200 wagons and 78 pontoon boats, iles out from Russellville. This he destroyed. Having learned of ply train on its way to Tuscaloosa, Colonel Palmer started on the ary towards Aberdeen, Mississippi, with a view of cutting it off, and n surprising it about 10 p. m. on the same evening, just over the sissippi. The train consisted of 110 wagons and 500 mules, the forch were burned, and the latter sabred or shot. Returning via Tollma, and on the old military and Hacksburg roads, the enemy, under fles and Russel, was met near Russellville and along Bear creek, her force under Armstrong was reported to be in pursuit of our forces. e force in his front by moving off to the right, under cover of the Colonel Palmer pushed for Moulton, coming upon Russel when withmiles of Moulton and near Thorn Hill, attacked him unexpectedly, ting him, and capturing some prisoners, besides burning five wagons. and then proceeded to Decatur without molestation, and reached that e 6th of January, after a march of two hundred and fifty miles. One d fifty prisoners were captured, and nearly 1,000 stand of arms deColonel Palmer's loss was one killed and two wounded.

Hood, while investing Nashville, had sent into Kentucky a force of nbering about 800 men, and two guns, under the command of Brigral Lyon, with instructions to operate against our railroad communih Louisville. McCook's division of cavalry was detached on the aber and sent to Bowling Green and Franklin to protect the road. ring Hopkinsville, Lyon was met by Lagrange's brigade near Greenfter a sharp fight was thrown into confusion, losing one gun, some id wagons; the enemy succeeding, however, by making a wide delizabethtown and Glasgow, in reaching the Cumberland river, and Burkville, from where General Lyon proceeded, via McMinnville ester, Tennessee, to Larkinsville, Alabama, on the Memphis and railroad, and attacked the little garrison at Scottsboro' on the 10th of Lyon was here again repulsed and his command scattered, our troops m towards the Tennessee river, which, however, he, with about 200 and his remaining piece of artillery, succeeding in crossing. The ommand scattered in squads among the mountains. Colonel W. J. nmanding 15th Pennsylvania cavalry, with 150 men, crossed the int Rock and pursued Lyon to near Red Hill, on the road from n to Tuscaloosa, at which place he surprised his camp during the 14th January, capturing Lyon himself, his one piece of artillery, 00 of his men with their horses. Lyon being in bed at the time of asked his guard to permit him to dress himself, which was acceded atching his opportunity, Lyon seized a pistol, shot the sentinel dead ot, and escaped in the darkness. This was the only casualty during

on.

el Palmer and his command is accorded the credit of giving Hood's st blow of the campaign, at a distance of over two hundred miles we first struck the enemy on the 15th December, near Nashville. my sub-commanders, (Major Generals Schofield, Stanley, Rousseau,

oners of war exchanged during the month of September, 1864.

te of prisoners of war captured from September 7, 1864, to January Inclusive,) 13,189.

-ebel deserters received outside of Nashville office, from September 7, 1864 to January 20, 1865.

e of rebel deserters to whom the oath has been administered from 7, 1864, to January 20, 1865, 2,207.

illy submitted:

J. G. PARKHURST,

Colonel and P. M. G.

OFFICE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE, DEPARTMENT CUMBERLAND,

Nashville, Tennessee, February 5, 1865.

. In compliance with your instructions of the 20th ultimo, I have › submit the following report of ordnance material captured from the

I have the honor to report the operations of my command from the last report made by me, January 20, as follows:

A. J. Smith's corps, at that period, was with me at Eastport, Misur divisions of General Wilson's cavalry were encamped on the morth bank of the Tennessee river, at Waterloo and Gravelly Springs, nd the 4th corps, Major General Stanley commanding, was stationed He, Alabama. This, with the ordinary garrisons of the country, commmand.

eral-in-chief of the army having given up the intention of my concampaign against the enemy in Mississippi and Alabama, I received y telegraph from Major General Halleck, chief of staff, to send . J. Smith's command and five thousand of General Wilson's river, to report to Major General Canby, at New Orleans, for the aking part in an expedition at that time preparing to operate against mith's corps started from Eastport on the 6th of February, and ision of cavalry left Nashville on the 12th.

e period of the departure of Smith's corps information was received, ious sources, to the effect that part of the shattered remnants of y, viz: Cheatham's and Lee's corps, were on their way from Missisth Carolina, moving via Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, to re-enportion of the enemy's army operating against General Sherman. ined in central Mississippi, under General Taylor, but one corps of infantry, and about seven thousand of Forrest's cavalry, the headthe command being at Meridian, Mississippi.

6th of February a communication was received from Lieutenant ant, directing an expedition, commanded by General Stoneman, to n East Tennessee to penetrate North Carolina, and well down tombia, South Carolina, to destroy the enemy's railroads and military that section, and visit a portion of the State beyond the control or neral Sherman's column. As the movement was to be merely for of destruction, directions were given General Stoneman to evade engagements with the enemy's forces.

the 13th of February, General Grant telegraphed me to prepare a edition, about ten thousand strong, to penetrate northern Alabama, co-operative force to the movement on Mobile by General Canby. ing Eastport, Mississippi, I had directed General Wilson to get his readiness for just such a campaign, of which the above was simply -my instructions being for him to move on Tuscaloosa, Selma, and 7, Alabama, and to capture those places if possible. After accomich, he was to operate against any of the enemy's forces in the Mississippi, Mobile, or Macon, as circumstances might demand. te of the roads, combined with the condition of the horses of his fter completing the severe campaign in pursuit of Hood, prevented ent for the time being, and it was only on the 22d of March that ilson, with Upton's, Long's, and McCook's divisions, could leave Alabama. Hatch's division remained at Eastport, Mississippi, and son's at Pulaski, Tennessee, it not being possible to mount them d the country and prevent guerilla depredations.

neral Sherman was organizing his army for its march to the Atlantic November, he issued an order directing me to assume control of all the military division of the Mississippi not present with him and ny in Georgia. Based on that order, all the operations of the troops limits af the above-mentioned military division have, during the