HEADQUARTERS,
Knoxville, November 28, 1861.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War:

I have received a note from Brownlow, stating that he would come in if I would guarantee no personal violence. He has not been with any armed troops. Will send copy of his letter.

WM. H. CARROLL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS,
Greenville, East Tenn., November 28, 1861.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond:

SIR: Since my last, dated at Johnson Station, Carter County, I have placed Captain McClellan, of the Tennessee cavalry, with his company, at Elizabethtown, the county town of Carter County, with a view to preserve order and hold the disaffected in check. He reports an improvement in the aspect of affairs in that neighborhood.

Captain White, of the Third Georgia Battalion, occupies the crossing of the Holston at Union, protecting the county bridge, so necessary since the burning of the other. A part of his company also guards the bridge over the Watauga at Carter Depot, and the remainder of it is at Johnson Station, or Haynesville, where there is a water-tank, now important, and generally a quantity of rolling stock.

The headquarters of the command has been removed to Greenville, Greene County, hitherto regarded perhaps as the headquarters of insurrection. This county voted for the Union by four to one and continues much disturbed. On the 24th, soon after my arrival here, it was found that a party of 200 or 300 were in arms at a place called Chimney Top, in the northern part of the county, and it was thought advisable to disperse them at once. Stovall's battalion being joined by two companies of Colonel Powell's regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Arnold) and half a company of Tennessee cavalry (Captain McLin), I marched the command in that direction on the morning of the 24th instant. In the course of the day we learned that a part of the insurgent force had crossed our road in the preceding night, but we kept on, hoping to find the main body. Toward night it was ascertained that it was the whole force which had retreated in the preceding night, and their absence was verified by our cavalry.

On the morning of the 25th we retraced our steps to the line of the insurgents' retreat, when, being ill from weather and water, I turned over the command to Colonel Stovall, with orders to pursue as far as practicable. The cavalry had already been in pursuit since early morning. Colonel Stovall continued the pursuit to the Chucky River, in the neighborhood of Rheatown, where, finding no bridge nor ferry-boat, and a bad ford, he deemed it advisable to return with his immediate command to this place. Captain Yeiser, of the artillery, crossed, however, with his two pieces, and succeeded in mounting most of his two companies, also crossed the Chucky and joined the cavalry. This was on the 25th, and to-day he has sent in for re-enforcements, which have gone to him-something over a hundred men, under Major Rudler.

The insurgents appear to be making for Cocke and Sevier Counties,