From the condition of the ground an offensive movement would necessarily be feeble, and feebleness of movement would almost certainly result in failure. I will send you, as soon as I can prepare it, a more full report of certain facts in writing, and will probably call at your headquarters this evening.

TH. J. WOOD,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH CORPS, December 10, 1864.

General WHIPPLE,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

Dispatch to come to department headquarters at 10 a.m. to-morrow received. Will be there.

TH. J. WOOD,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

CIRCULAR,
HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS,

No. 29. Nashville, Tenn., December 10, 1864.

It has been reported that our pickets have been conversing and holding truces with the enemy's pickets. This must be at once prevented, and officers of the pickets who hereafter allow such practices, or who do not prevent the same, will be arrested and tried by court-martial for correspondence with the enemy. Division commanders will, as soon as practicable, publish this circular to their commands.

By order of Brigadier-General Wood:

J. S. FULLERTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS, December 10, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS:

Nothing new is reported in my front this morning. I am about starting to the front, and will examine the lines personally and report.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,
Major-General, Commanding.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, December 10, 1864.

Major General J. M. SCHOFIELD,

U. S. Volunteers,

Commanding Department of the Ohio, Nashville, Tenn.:

SIR: In response to a communication from Colonel W. M. Dunn, assistant judge-advocate-general, transmitted through the Judge-Advocate-General, the Secretary of War decides that the assignment to duty of Major-General Stoneman, under General Orders, No. 94,* headquarters

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*See Vol. XXXIX, Part III, p.592.

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