pany A, Rifle Battalion, Missouri Volunteers, to protect the citizens from apprehended violence. Embarked the troops on cars; stopped at Victoria; seized one of Jeff. Davis' men, who persisted in hurrahing for Jeff. Davis, as a prisoner of war, and returned safely to this post at 6 o'clock p. m.

Respectfully submitted.

N. COLE,

Captain Company A, Fifth Regiment, Commanding

General LYON, Commanding.

JUNE 17, 1861.-Engagement at Booneville, Mo.

Reports of Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, U. S. Army.

CAMP CAMERON,

Near Booneville, Mo., June 22, 1861.

DEAR SIR: I have received the orders from the War Department including this State in the military department under your command. Prior to the receipt of these orders I had, in consequence f the proclamation of Governor Jackson, of this State, which seemed to me tantamount to a declaration of war, ordered a movement of a portion of the troops under my command to Jefferson City and in the direction of Springfield, Mo., for the purpose of breaking up the hostile organizations which I had reason to believe had been formed in those parts of the State to resist the authority of the Government. On reaching Jefferson City with the force under my immediate command, consisting of the regular troops and the regiment of Colonel Blair, Missouri volunteers, I found that the governor and the State troops had retired to this place, and had collected together three or four thousand men.

As soon therefore as I was joined at Jefferson City by the regiment of Colonel Boernstein, Missouri Volunteers, I left that city under his command of the regiment of Colonel Boernstein, the regiment of Colonel Blair, and the regular troops, consisting of Captain Totten's battery and three companies of infantry, the whole command amounting to abut 1,700 men. With the force I landed, on the morning of the 17th June, about 6 miles below Booneville, and about 2 miles below the camp of the enemy, and had proceeded a short distance in the direction of Booneville when the enemy opened fire upon us. The action, however, lasted a very short time, and the enemy were soon routed, their camp taken, and the city of Booneville occupied by our troops. I will in a few days prepared and forward to you a more detailed account of the affair.

I have ascertained to-day, from reliable and undoubted information, that another camp of the State troops which had collected at Lexington, in this State, consisted of many of those who fled from hit place and the force that had collected at Blue Mills to oppose the movement of troops from Leavenworth and Kansas City, and variously estimated from 5,000 to 6,000 men, broke up their camp yesterday, and started toward the south with the intention of uniting with the troops said to be collecting in Arkansas to invade this State. The rumor which has been so long prevalent in regard to the contemplated movement from Arkansas under Ben. McCulloch appears to me to have assumed shape and consistency, and it is no longer to be doubted that such an enter-