Of the general condition of things on the eastern frontier you are probably already better advised than I am. I understand in general terms that Col. John S. Williams has succeeded in mustering some 600 or 700 men into the Confederate service, and that there are, in all, collected at that place some 2,000 Kentucky people; but of these many act in their own behalf and do not enter the service. My authority to muster troops into the service is estimated to be ample by the orders I have received from the Adjutant-General. Those orders contemplated the immediate use of two Virginia regiments (Trigg's and Moore's), and one battery of four pieces, commanded by Captain Jeffress, of Virginia.. But I have been surprised to find that Moore's regiment has no arms nor ammunition, camp equipage nor transportation, to give the expected mobility to it, and how long before these will be furnished I cannot guess. The battery is yet here, one of the caissons not having come up from Lynchburg, but I hope it will be able to move to-morrow. I have ordered Colonel Trigg to move from Christiansburg, but am not advised that he has done so up to this moment.

I shall proceed on my journey in the morning, though the officers of my staff have not arrived. Thomas Hawkins is in your own camp at Bowling Green. I wish you would communicate to him my expectation that he shall report to me as aide as soon as practicable. I am, general, your obedient servant,
HUMPHREY MARSHALL,
Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

At 8 o'clock we reached the mouth of Abbott's Creek, 1 mile below Prestonburg. I then found that the enemy was encamped on the creek 3 miles above, and had been supplying himself with meal at a steam-mill in the vicinity. I sent back an order to Paintsville to move forward all our available force, having learned that another boat load of stores had arrived. I then encamped on the crest of a wooded hill, where we slept on our arms in the rain till 4 o'clock in the morning, when I moved up Abbott's Creek 1 mile and crossed over to the mouth of Middle Creek, which empties into the Big Sandy opposite Prestonburg. Supposing the enemy to be encamped on Abbott's Creek, it was my intention to advance up Middle Creek and cut off his retreat, while the cavalry should attack his rear. I advanced slowly, throwing out flankers and feeling my way cautiously among the hills. At 8 o'clock in the morning we reached the mouth of Middle Creek, where my advance began a brisk skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry, which continued till we had advanced 2½ miles up the stream to within 1,000 yards of the forks of the creek, which I had learned the enemy were then occupying.

I drew up my force on the sloping point of a semicircular hill, and at 12 o'clock sent forward 20 mounted men to make a dash across the plain. This drew the enemy's fire, and in part disclosed his position. The Fifty-fourth Virginia Regiment (Colonel Trigg) was posted behind the farther point of the same ridge which I occupied. I immediately sent forward two Kentucky companies to pass along this crest of the ridge, and one company Forty-second Ohio, under command of Capt. F. A. Williams, together with one under Captain Jones, Fortieth Ohio, to cross the creek, which was nearly waist-deep, and occupy a spur of the high rocky ridge in front and to the left of my position.

In a few minutes the enemy opened a fire from one 6 and one 12 pounder. A shell from the battery fell in the midst of my skirmishers on the right, but did not explode. Soon after the detachment on the left engaged the enemy, who was concealed in large force behind the ridge. I sent forward a re-enforcement of two companies to the right, under Major Burke, of the Fourteenth Kentucky, and 90 men, under Major Pardee, of the Forty-second Ohio, to support Captain Williams. The enemy withdrew his Fifty-fourth Virginia across the creek, and sent strong re-enforcements to the hills on the left. About 2 o'clock I ordered Colonel Cranor, with 150 men from the Fortieth and Forty-second Ohio and Twenty-second Kentucky, to re-enforce Major Pardee.

Meantime the enemy had occupied the main ridge to a point nearly opposite the right of my position, and opened a heavy fire on my reserve, which was returned with good effect. In order more effectually to prevent his attempt to outflank me I sent Lieutenant-Colonel Monroe, of the Twenty-second Kentucky, with 120 of his own and the Fourteenth Regiment, to cress the creek a short distance below the point I occupied, and drive back the enemy from his position. This he did in gallant style, killing 15 or 20. Inch by inch the enemy, with more than three times our number, were driven up the steep ridge nearest the creek by Colonel Cranor and Major Pardee.

At 4 o'clock the re-enforcement under Lieutenant-Colonel Sheldon, of the Forty-second Ohio, came in sight, which enabled me to send forward the remainder of my reserve, under Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, to pass around to the right and endeavor to capture the enemy's guns, which he had been using against us for three hours, but without effect. During the fight he had fired 30 rounds from his guns, but they were badly served, as only one of his shells exploded, and none of his shot, not even his canister, took effect. At 4.30 he ordered a retreat. My men drove him down the slopes of the hills, and at 5 o'clock he had been driven from every point. Many of my men had fired 30 rounds. It was growing dark, and I deemed it unsafe to pursue him, lest my men on the different hills should fire on each other in the darkness. The firing had scarcely ceased when a brilliant light streamed up from the valley to which the enemy had retreated. He was burning his stores and fleeing in great disorder. Twenty-five of his dead were left on the field, and 60 more were found next day thrown into a gorge in the hills. He has acknowledged 125 killed and a still larger number wounded. A field officer and 2 captains were found among the dead. Our loss was 1 killed and 20 wounded, 2 of whom have since died. We took 25 prisoners, among whom was a rebel captain. Not more than 900 of my force were actually engaged, and the enemy had not less than 3,500 men.

Special mention would be invidious when almost every officer and man did his duty. A majority of them fought for five hours without cessation. The cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Letcher, did not reach me until the next morning, when I started them in pursuit. They followed 6 miles and took a few prisoners, but, their provisions being exhausted, they returned. A few howitzers would have added greatly to our success.

On the 11th I crossed the river and occupied Prestonburg. The place was almost deserted. I took several horses, 18 boxes quartermaster's stores, and 25 flint,-lock muskets. I found the whole community in the vicinity of Prestonburg had been stripped of everything like supplies for an army. I could not find enough forage for my horses for over one day, and 80 sent them back to Paintsville. I had ordered the first boat that arrived at Paintsville to push on up to Prestonburg, but I found it would be impossible to bring up our tents and supplies until more provisions could be brought up the river. I therefore moved down to this place on the 12th and 13th, bringing my sick and foot-sore men on boats. I am hurrying our supplies up to this point. The marches over these exceedingly bad roads and the night exposures have been borne with great cheerfulness by my men, but they are greatly in need of rest and good care.

I cannot close this communication without making honorable mention of Lieut. J.D. Stubbs, quartermaster of the Forty-second Ohio, and senior quartermaster of the brigade. He has pushed forward the transportation of our stores with an energy and determination which have enabled him to overcome very many and great obstacles, and his efforts have contributed greatly to the success of the expedition and the health and comfort of my command.

In a subsequent report, I will communicate some facts relative to my command and also in regard to the situation of the country through which the enemy has been operating. Very truly, your obedient servant, J. A. GARFIELD,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

By order of Brigadier-General Preston, commanding division, I crossed the Chickamauga at early dawn the morning of the 19th, and formed line of battle near Hunt's house on the prolongation of Brigadier-General Bate's line. While occupying this position the enemy threw shot and shell into my lines from a battery on his right. The Sixth Regiment Florida Volunteers (Colonel Finley) lost 1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant, and 1 private killed, and 2 privates wounded. I promptly moved the brigade forward, so as to get the cover afforded by the opposite hills.

About 12 m., by direction of General Preston, I moved my brigade by the right flank and reformed on the crest of a ridge about half a mile north of Hunt's house. As soon as the line was formed I deployed the First Regiment Florida Cavalry, dismounted (Colonel Maxwell), as skirmishers, 300 yards in advance, and covering the entire front of the brigade. This regiment soon became engaged with the enemy's infantry in a corn-field and the woods to the right of the field. It kept up quite a brisk fire for more than two hours, when the right was driven in by a destructive fire of grape and canister from a battery in the field. At this time I was ordered to re-enforce General Hood and move in the direction of the firing. The firing was on my right. I moved by the right flank until met by a staff officer, who came to conduct me to the point where General Hood needed support (the position held by General Benning's brigade). At his instance I moved by the front. Soon after I was met by another staff officer, who claimed my support for General Robertson's brigade. I continued my movement by the front until I came near a corn-field, in which the enemy had a battery protected by earth-works, near the Chattanooga road, and supported by a long line of infantry drawn up in the field and in rifle-pits and woods on the right and left of the battery. The enemy was advancing when I first discovered him, and had passed about one-third the length of the field. The troops that had won the wooded ridge outside of the field and to my right were falling back in some confusion. The advance of the enemy and the falling back of our troops seemed to effect some change in the mind of the officer conducting me. He requested me to halt until he could learn precisely what position I was to take. While thus halted and under the enemy's fire General Robertson appeared, and hurriedly informing me that his line was very much weakened and would be beaten back unless quickly re-enforced, indicated the direction in which I should move. I obliqued to the right until I supposed that my right was opposite to his left. This brought the front of my brigade to the corn-field fence.

All this while I had been under a most destructive fire of the enemy's artillery, and at this time he concentrated upon me the fire of his whole force in the corn-field and in the timber around it. I had not as yet fired a single gun. I reserved my fire until I reached the fence. At the first volley the enemy broke in confusion to the left and rear. Seeing his confusion, I ordered my brigade to charge before he could rally. The Sixth Florida Regiment gallantly responded, leaping the fence and dashing forward to the crest of the ridge, forcing the enemy's broken line to seek the nearest cover on the right, left, and in rear. This regiment regained the ridge, which I am informed was won and lost more than once during the day, cleared the corn-field of all the infantry, drove nearly all the gunners from the battery, and would have certainly captured it but for a lamentable interference with my command. When the order to charge was given, I was on the right with this regiment. The order was not promptly conveyed to the other regiments of the brigade, and they failing to conform to the movements of the Sixth Florida, it got from 150 to 200 yards in advance. Having gained the crest of the ridge, I discovered for the first time that the other regiments of the brigade were not up with the Sixth Florida. I immediately started to bring them up, but had gone but a short distance when I perceived them crossing the fence and moving forward in good order. I returned to direct the movements of the Sixth Florida. When these regiments had reached the second fence I discovered that they were being moved by Brigadier-General Robertson across the field by the right flank and in rear of the Sixth. Finding that this regiment would not receive support from the rest of my brigade, and it being exposed to a terrible fire from the front and left (the enemy having in part recovered from his panic), I withdrew it below the crest of the ridge, and unwillingly relinquished the capture of the battery, which a few minutes before I had regarded as almost accomplished, for such was the disposition of my brigade that when the charge was ordered two regiments and half of another on my left overlapped the enemy's battery and supports, and when withdrawn from the field they were moving rapidly to turn his right flank. Night put an end to the conflict.

On the morning of the 20th, I formed my brigade 400 yards in the rear of Manigault's brigade, Hindman's division, and was ordered to support him and conform to his movements. About 12 m. General Manigault moved forward in the direction of the Chattanooga road. I followed. When in 400 yards of the road I came up with his artillery, which had halted, and met a good many stragglers from his brigade. I rode forward to the road and found some confusion in the brigade. I informed an officer of General Manigault's staff that I was there to support him and ready to render the support at any moment. About this time I learned from an officer of General Hindman's staff that the left of Hindman's division was threatened and would be turned unless quickly supported (the left of that division having been supported up to that time by Manigault's brigade). I moved my brigade to the Chattanooga road in double-quick time, passing General Manigault's brigade and taking the front. The position of the enemy being indicated to me, I disposed of the troops of my command with a view to offensive movements, and ordered the battery assigned me (Captain Peeples', Ninth Georgia Battalion) to take position and open fire upon the enemy. The enemy' failing to respond after several rounds, and it being evident that he had withdrawn from that part of the field, I ordered the firing to cease and prepared to advance, when I received orders from General Buck-ner to move down the Chattanooga road and support Williams' battalion of artillery. Having remained in support of this artillery until 2.30 p.m., I was ordered by General Buckner to move back on the Chattanooga road with two of my regiments and one piece of artillery and select a favorable position to resist the enemy's cavalry, which it was understood had passed to our rear and was moving on that road. While engaged in the discharge of this duty with the First Florida. (dismounted) Cavalry and Seventh Florida Regiment (ColoneI Bullock) and one piece of artillery, an order from General Buck-ner directed me to withdraw one regiment and rejoin the division. I withdrew the Seventh Florida, but had hardly put it in motion when I received from General Preston a pressing order to move rapidly to the support of the other brigades of his division (Gracie's and Kelly's). The cavalry, whose movements I had been sent to oppose, having proved to be our own, I took the responsibility of ordering the other regiment and the piece of artillery to follow, and communicated the fact to General Buckner as I passed along. The. Sixth Florida and Fifty-fourth Virginia Regiments had been already put in motion by Colonel Finley (senior colonel).

The battle was raging furiously when I arrived with the Seventh Florida Regiment, which I formed on the left of the Fifty-fourth Virginia, which, with the Sixth Florida Regiment, was already formed on the left of Kelly's brigade. The First Florida (dismounted) Regiment on the way to join the brigade was detached, by order of General Preston, and sent to the support of General Gracie's brigade. Without wavering or faltering, these two brigades, marching over some of our own troops who were lying down, drove the enemy steadily before them until his right was forced from its strong position on rough, broken ground, heavily timbered. Driven from this position, he fell back upon a second line of ridges running perpendicular to the Chattanooga road, which was already held by a strong force and protected by breastworks. When near the base of this ridge I learned from Colonel Kelly the precise locality of the enemy, and immediately determined with him to attempt the capture of that part of his force in my front, my position being particularly favorable for the attainment of this end. I immediately wheeled my brigade to the right, which brought me in rear of the enemy, and moved rapidly up the hill to within 20 paces of his lines. This movement surprised him and resulted in the capture of the Twenty-second Michigan, the Eighty-ninth Ohio, and part of the Twenty-first Ohio Regiments, 5 stand of colors, and over 1,500 small-arms of the latest and most approved pattern. Darkness having fallen and the enemy having withdrawn from his position on my left, no farther movement was attempted.

Before beginning the movement last alluded to, I requested two brigades which were in my rear to form on my left and co-operate with me. They declined for the want of ammunition. It is greatly to be regretted that they were not in a condition to give me assistance. Had they formed on my left our line would have extended nearly, if not quite, to the Chattanooga road, and being in rear of the enemy, all his forces occupying the ridge would have been completely cut off. Where every officer and man did his whole duty, special mention cannot be made. The fortune of war threw the Sixth Florida Regiment into the post of danger and upon them the heaviest loss, and proved them veterans in their first fight. Their commanding officer is proud to render to them this just tribute of praise, and he is also proud to express his conviction that each other regiment of his brigade is worthy of, and, had circumstances allowed, would have won, equal commendation. It is simple justice to my command to say that it beat the enemy wherever it found him and carried every position which it assaulted.

I take pleasure in mentioning the following named soldiers who have distinguished themselves by the capture each of a stand of the enemy's colors: Sergt. L. E. Timmons, Company I, Seventh Florida Regiment, captured regimental flag Twenty-first Ohio Regiment; Private Oscar F. Honaker, Company F, Fifty-fourth Virginia Regiment, captured regimental flag Twenty-second Michigan Regiment; Private W. F. Harris, Company F, Fifty-fourth Virginia Regiment, captured State flag Twenty-second Michigan Regiment; Private Henderson Hylton, Company A, Fifty-fourth Virginia Regiment, captured regimental flag Eighty-ninth Ohio, and Private Francis Carter, Company K, Fifty-fourth Virginia Regiment, captured State flag Twenty-first Ohio Regiment. In this connection I deem it proper to state that Private J. H. M. Moseley, Captain Hays' company, Sixth Florida Regiment, captured a stand of colors, and while guarding prisoners to the rear he passed a small party of men who claimed them. Being unable to distinguish these men in the -dark, and supposing them to be a squad detailed by me to receive the captured colors, he gave them up. These colors have not been heard of since. I have no doubt of the truth of Private Moseley's statement. It is corroborated by other evidence. These colors were doubtless turned over to men of another command and sent in to headquarters as captured by them.

Appended is a statement(*) of the killed, wounded, and missing of my brigade.
I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
RO. C. TRIGG,
Colonel, Comdg. Brigade, Preston's Div., Buckner's Corps.

Gracie''s Brigade.
43d Alabama, Col. Young M. Moody.
1st Battalion, Hilliard's (Alabama) Legion, Maj. Daniel S. Troy.
2d Battalion, Hilliard's (Alabama) Legion, Capt. John H. Dillard.
3d Battalion, Hilliard's (Alabama) Legion, Lieut. Col. John W.A. Sanford.
4th Battalion, Hilliard's (Alabama) Legion, Maj. John D. McLennan.
63d Tennessee, Maj. John A. Aiken.

Trigg's Brigade.
1st Florida Cavalry (dismounted), Col. G.. T. Maxwell.
6th Florida, Col. J. J. Finley.
7th Florida, Lieut. Col. Tillman Ingram.
54th Virginia, Lieut. Col. John J. Wade.

Kelly's Brigade.
65th Georgia, Lieut. Col. Jacob W. Pearcy.
5th Kentucky, Col. Hiram Hawkins.
58th North Carolina, Col. John B. Palmer.
63d Virginia, Maj. James M. French.

I had this morning in the guard-house at this place upward of fifty prisoners, deserters, and disloyal citizens, and the jails of Floyd and Montgomery are reported to be filled. I will dispose of them as rapidly as possible. I sent off ten to the east this morning, but there are many of the worst characters who ought to be made examples of. These people in Montgomery and Floyd had gone so far as to elect what they called a brigadier-general of deserters and other officers and organized what they called a State government, for which they claimed to have elected a governor. General Duke has, however, by his energy, stricken terror into them, and Colonel Preston is directed to follow up the treatment. A large number of the deserters who have been thus forced to come in belong to Colonel Trigg's regiment, the Fifty-fourth Virginia, and he has many of them, I learn, assembled at Central Depot and at Christiansburg, where he is keeping them without any restraint upon them. I fear that as soon as the force is withdrawn from Floyd County these fellows will return and the same operation will have to be repeated. I have written to Colonel Trigg and suggested the difficulty to him. He is not, I suppose, under the command of any one in this department, as he has, I learn, an order from the War Department to collect the deserters and absentees from his command in this region. The large portion of the deserters in Floyd County were, I think, from his regiment and from the Sixty-third Regiment (Virginia), which is also in Georgia. Thurmond is at work in Montgomery County, but has not yet effected much, except in driving the deserters to the mountains, which are almost inaccessible and from which they will come down into the settlements as soon as the force there is withdrawn and commence again to plunder and lay waste the country. A large settlement in that portion of Montgomery County is made up entirely of the most disloyal and abandoned people in the Confederacy, and I am satisfied that quiet cannot be restored there until these people are taken beyond our lines. I have before me now a list of the families, numbering upward of 100 men, women, and children, who have for a long time been harboring and sheltering and encouraging deserters--their husbands, sons, &c.--and who will continue to do so. They have always been disloyal and haters of our Government and people and institutions. Loyal people and these people cannot live together, and I propose, with the consent of the general, to order Thurmond to remove all of these people beyond our lines toward the Kanawha and over the mountains. Nothing else will do. When they are gone the deserters will go, too, and others will not come in. I forwarded a paper from Captain Thurmond on this subject some days ago and asked the general's consent to my giving the order, but I have not yet heard from it. Whatever is done must be done very soon, as the winter is approaching, during which it might seem cruel to send out women and children. Please let me hear as soon as possible.
I am, major, very respectfully, &c.,
JNO. ECHOLS,
Brigadier-General.