driven back. At the same time I hurried General Baird's division across the pontoon bridge; but it was too late.

As soon as General Stanley commenced this attack, General Van Dorn, discovering his precarious situation, turned from our front and attacked him with such overwhelming numbers that he was driven back across the river before the re-enforcements sent to him could reach it. As soon as this was accomplished, the enemy rapidly retreated toward Spring Hill. It was now almost evening. General Baird's division, being composed of infantry and artillery, was unable to overtake the mounted enemy in his rapid retreat. He followed him until dark, and then returned to camp. Thus ended the action of that day.

The enemy having fallen back to his strong position near Spring Hill before morning, I did not deem it safe to follow him up with the force at my command.

It is impossible to give the exact list of our casualties, as General Stanley has not as yet made and official report to me of the losses in his command. Of my own forces there were 4 killed, 2 severely wounded, 2 mortally wounded, and 9 taken prisoners. Of the enemy, 19 were killed and left on the ground, and 35 were wounded at one point alone-the place of conflict with the Fortieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

Taking the unofficial report of General Stanley as to the number of the enemy killed and wounded in his front; the statements of prisoners as to the total loss of the enemy; the statements of deserters, and the statements of intelligent persons living along the line of the enemy's retreat, as to the number of dead and wounded carried off in ambulances and wagons toward Spring Hill, I can safely set down the enemy's loss, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, at 300. Of this number, 48 were prisoners.

Since this attack I have been informed that it was made with the belief that my infantry had been removed to Nashville, and that the only force that had been left here was a small body of cavalry, which was guarding a large collection of commissary and quartermaster's stores that had not at that time been removed. It was the intention of the enemy to capture the cavalry and seize these stores.

Since Van Dorn's repulse, he facetiously calls his attack an armed reconnaissance in force.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. GRANGER,

Major-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel C. GODDARD,

A. A. G., Staff of Major General Rosecrans, Murfreesborough, Tenn.,

FRANKLIN, April 19, 1863.

GENERAL: General [S. L.] Freeman's battery was taken and destroyed by chopping it to pieces. Himself, 1 lieutenant, and several men were killed; 2 lieutenants and 29 men of the battery taken prisoners. In other words, the battery was defunct.

No artillery firing in this quarter to-day. Scouts in from Hillsborough road found nothing.

I have ordered Morgan to intrench himself at Brentwood.

G. GRANGER,

Major-General.

General W. S. ROSECRANS.