DECEMBER 16, 1861.

General MITCHEL, Elizabethown:

Send one of your brigades to Bacon Creek in the morning, and move your entire division to the same point as convenient.

Captain Bush's battery will go to that point by the train to-morrow morning, to join your division.

D. C. BUELL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

WASHINGTON, D. C. December 17, 1861.

Brigadier General D. C. BUELL, Louisville, Ky.:

Would it interfere with operations if the valley of the Sandy, west of the Big Sandy, should be placed under General Rosecrans?

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

LOUISVILLE, KY., December 17, 1861-5 p.m.

LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General, Washington:

Not directly, but the operations in the valley of the Sandy involve to some extent the central part of Kentucky, which cannot well be separated from my contract. I have just organized a brigade for service in the valley of the Sandky, and am this moment giving instructions to the commander, Colonel Garfield, of the Forty-second Ohio, a promising officer, whom I have called here for that purpose. His regiment is on the Sandy by this time, where it will unite with Moore's Kentucky regiment, now there, and Lindsey's Kentucky regiment, now at Greenupsburg. The other regiment, the Fortieth Ohio, will be at [?] 11 p. m. to-morrow. A squadron of Ohio cavalry will be on the Sandy by Thursday, and the three squadrons of Wolford's Kentucky cavalry will move up through Mount Sterling. These dispositions will, I think, be sufficient for the occasion. I can strengthen them somewhat, if necessary.

D. C. BUELL,

Brigadier-General.

DECEMBER 17, 1861.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,

U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

McCook's division Munfordville; Mitchel's at Bacon Creek. We are doing pretty well. Zollicoffer is either across the Cumberland or is prepared to do it at the approach of any superior force. Any more formidable demonstrations against him would only harass my troops and derange my plans. I am letting him alone for the present.

McCook reports:

The rebels attacked my pickets in front of the railroad bridge at 2 p. m. to-day. The picket consisted of four companies of the Thirty-second Indiana, Colonel Willich, under Lieutenant-Colonel Von Trebra. Their forces consisted of one regiment Texas Rangers, two regiments infantry, one battery (six guns). Our loss, Lieutenant Sachs and 8 enlisted men killed and 16 wounded. The rebel loss, 33 killed, including Colonel Terry, of Texas, and about 50 wounded. The rebels ingloriously retreated.

D. C. BUELL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.