emy's cavalry in force has crossed the river on the Lewisburg
pike, and is now in possession of Rally Hill.

"Wilson is trying to get on to the Franklin road ahead of them.
He thinks the enemy may swing around in behind him and me, and
strike Spring Hill, and wants Hammond's brigade to halt there.
Please give it orders if you know where it is. Also, I think it
would be well to send A. J. Smith's force to that place."

In the night of November 28-9, about 2 A. M., I received the report
of the cavalry commander, conveying the information given him by
prisoners that the enemy had commenced to bridge the river near
Huey's Mill, and urging the necessity of immediate retreat to
Franklin.(13) The staff officer who handed me the despatch called
my attention especially to the words urging immediate action, and
I considered the subject quite a long time. But there did not seem
to me to be any necessity for such haste. The enemy could not
accomplish much before morning. It would then be early enough to
decide what must be done. Besides, it was not yet certain that
Hood was attempting to cross his infantry at Huey's Mill. The
vigorous action of his cavalry might be intended only to induce me
to fall back, and thus give him the use of the crossing at Columbia,
and of the turnpike from that place, for the movement of his
infantry, artillery, and trains.

In the morning, November 29, I sent a brigade of infantry toward
Huey's Mill to reconnoiter and report the enemy's movements. At
the same time Stanley was ordered to Spring Hill, with two divisions
of his corps, to occupy and intrench a good position commanding
the roads at that place and protecting the trains and reserve
artillery which had been ordered to be parked there. Ruger's
division of the Twenty-third Corps, except one regiment, was ordered
to follow Stanley. The army was ready to occupy Spring Hill in
full force, and in ample time to meet any possible movement of the
enemy either on that place or, by the Lewisburg pike, on Franklin.

In my orders to Ruger, dated 8 A. M., directing him to move at once
to Spring Hill, he was ordered to leave one regiment to guard the
river until dark and then join him at Spring Hill. It was then
intended, in any event, to hold Spring Hill until the morning of
November 30. At the same time Ruger was directed to order his
troops guarding the river below to march at once for Franklin.

DEL