SIGNAL STATION,

Bolivar, August 24, 1863-6 p. m.

Lieutenant Colonel GEORGE E. FLYNT,

Asst. Adjt. General and Chief of Staff, 14th Army Corps:

COLONEL: The officers on station communicating with this point report camp-fires, indicating the presence of about a brigade of men, 10 miles from there; direction, south 10 degrees west.

Respectfully,

THOS. J. KELLY,

Captain and Signal Officer.

JASPER, August 24, 1863.

Captain MERRILL,

Chief Signal Officer:

General Wood, of Crittenden's corps, is at Therman, 21 miles from here by good roads. Don't know where corps headquarters are.

REYNOLDS,

General.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 14TH ARMY CORPS,
Foot of Mountain, Anderson Road, August 24, 1863.

(Received 26th.)

Lieutenant Colonel C. GODDARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I have the honer to report two regiments and a section of artillery camped at Poe's, with strong guards watching the river at Harrison's and from Chickamauga to Dallas, and three regiments and four guns here, 5 miles from Chattanooga, with strong pickets out as far as the river, and patrols watching every point from the Suck, or Narrows, to the mouth of Chickamauga.

Two men who swam the river last night report that Hill's corps is at Harrison's and along the river in that vicinity. Polk's corps is reported in and about Chattanooga.

Negroes, who swam the river yesterday morning, report that the rebels removed the machinery from the rolling-mill the night before. The pontoon-bridge is taken up, and the boats are tied at the landing.

All agree in this, that we scared them badly with our shells, killed 3 and wounded 11, among whom was their provost-marshal.

The steam-boat we sunk is half under water. It is the Tennessee. The other, a side-wheel boat without upper works, is said to have her machinery broken by our shot; her name is Dunbar; lying tied to the wharf apparently useless. Both boats were right under their batteries.

Last night thirteen trains of cars came into town apparently empty, and five went out loaded, at least the noise made by them indicated such to be the case. There are a number of wagons in the town to-day. All seem busy. They are strengthening their position with rifle-pits to-day. All the fords above are defended by rifle-pits and guns in works.

Two of my regiments went to Sale Creek yesterday, 28 miles from Chattanooga, where they found Colonel Minty, who reports Forrest