HUNTSVILLE, March 7, 1862.

President DAVIS:

Your dispatch is just received. Colonel Liddell [went] to Richmond on 28th ultimo, with the official reports of Generals Floyd and Pillow of the events at Donelson, and suppose that he must have arrived by this time. I also sent by him a dispatch containing my purpose for defense of the valley of the Mississippi and for co-operating or uniting with General Beauregard, who has been urging me to come on. The stores accumulated at Murfreesborough, the pork and provisions at Shelbyville and other points, and their necessary protection and removal, with the bad roads and inclement weather, have made the march slow and laborious and delayed my movements.

The general condition of the troops is good and effective, though their health is impaired by the usual camp disease and winter campaign. The fall of Donelson disheartened some of the Tennessee troops and caused many desertions from some of the new regiments, so that great care was required to inspire confidence. I now consider the tone of the troops restored and that they are in good order. The enemy are about 25,000 strong at Nashville, with re-enforcements arriving. My rear guard, under General Hardee, is protecting the removal of provisions from Shelbyville. Last evening his pickets were near Murfreesborough, but gave no information of an advance by the enemy. There are no indications of immediate movement by the enemy from Nashville. I have no fears of a movement through Tennessee on Chattanooga. West Tennessee is menaced by heavy forces. My advance will be opposite Decatur on Sunday.

A. S. JOHNSTON,

General, C. S. Army.

UNION CITY, March 7, 1862.

General POLK:

The following dispatch received:

To Colonel PICKETT, Commanding Union City:

There is about 200 of the Federal's cavalry at the Obion Creek Bridge.

The citizens of Clinton were looking for them to take the town to-night; about 250 of them left Columbus yesterday, and marched down the river in the direction of mouth of Obion Creek, and they had not returned at 12 o'clock to-day. A large force of their cavalry were in Baltimore last night. The bridges between here and Columbus are destroyed, and we cannot scout in that direction. Our forage is out, and Major Hill can explain to you our situation generally, which I consider very exposed. I can get as much information by scouting from Union City as from here.

T. H. LOGWOOD,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

ED. PICKETT, Jr.,

Colonel, Commanding.

PARIS, March 7, 1862-9 p. m.

Major GEORGE WILLIAMSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Scouts just in from the Tennessee River report large bodies of the enemy at Fort Henry, Angelo, mouth of Sandy, and Paris Landing. Many transport boats lying at each of those places. The number of