, 1864-12-19
FROM NASHVILLE.
Just Before the RnttIe-The sttuattor,
preliminary Movements,

The ground yesterday morning was covered
by thick slcet, which rendered any 1ocomo-
tion, outside Of beaten paths, not only un-
practicable, but utterly impossible, but the
warm south wind and the sunshine so far
softened the icy coating that by noon 1t had
maincd and in the roads where there had
been considerable travel, only d slushy mud
was to be found.
During the prevalence Of the Ice no move
ulent could be made, md the men remained
inside their camps. The contrast between
the state Of the atmosphere and Of the day
preceding, was great relief to the soldiers,
and they appeared to enjoy themselves finely.
About neon some accommodating COM
menccd, but tho chief part occurred on the
left, in front Of General Stedman's command
On the night before, ten or twelve desertcrs
md prisoners had been received at General
Cridt's headquarters, md they reported that
Hood was still in our front In force, but that
his lines had been greatly contracted and o
little retired.
The more Intelligent of these concurred In
representing that Hoods right rested on the
Nolensyillc Pike, and bis left on the Hardin
road !; and that TO the right and left of these
there were only weak skirmish lines.
THIS story appeared to be coEroborated BY
few except between the two roads named, and
none to the east Of the r1hlroad, though few
pickets could be seen at their Usual places.
On the right it appears that the rebels have
abandoned their first line Of works entirely !;
and yesterday parties In scarch Of wood went
to some distance to the rear Of them unmo-
Tested while in the center strong front was
On our left, Col. AIulloy, at the head Of
force attached to Gen. Cruft's division, to-
gethcr with several regiments Of >colored
troops, advanced soon after noon, and drove
In the rebel skirmish lines, which offered very
little resistance. The force thus employed.
the rebels may obtain no information that
would be Of value tosthem, for whatever other
Journals may do, We do not choose to give
aid and comfort to the enemy in the smallest
degree. It was this desire that caused US to
say nothing about the movements Of our cav
airy IN our yesterdays issue, but m account
Of which some Of our contemporaries were in
discreet enough to publish.
The reconnoissancem made an advance, slowly
driving the rebel skirmishers back, until near,
sundown, when it was recalled. The negro
troops, on the left, met but few Of the John
MES, and only lost some half dozen men
Tounded-one severely. They advanced some
two miles from their works, and the recon-
nofssance demonstrated the fact TINT the sto-
ries OF the prisoners were true, that there
were no rebels Of consequence to the east of
the railroad. unless they had been retired to
. considerable distance, They brought in
two prisoners, who reported the same thing
as their predecessors relative to Hoods posi-
ton. '
The white troops, on the right of the recon
noitcring party, met, on the west Of the rail-
road, and between it and the Nolensyille Pike.
pretty strong line Of skirmishers, and some
very sharp fighting ensued; but the rebels
noissance vas recalled. Our loss was incon-
siderable, not exceeding ten or twelve. It was
evident that the rebels were in pretty strong
force, little to their riht.
The reconnaissance yesterday reached a
point a mile and half beyond the "Rains
House, which is locality pretty well known
to the people Of this city.