and 500 muskets, with a considerable supply of ammunition. A part only of the muskets were taken, the rest having been sent to the interior. These were all evidently United States arms, brought from the Baton Rouge Arsenal. The owners of the boat and its agents I considered as deliberately supplying the means of warfare to the troops of Camp Jackson, who as a body were evidently hostile to the United States. The boat is, in my opinion, properly a forfeit to the General Government, and should be held subject to some suitable adjustment before the courts of the country or at the close of the existing difficulties. The well-known proclivities in favor of secession of the district judge of Saint Louis make him an improper person to adjudicate the matter. The boat is now employed in transporting troops and supplies on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. LYON,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

The statement of facts by General Lyon is known to me to be true. An additional fact, not stated by General Lyon, has some bearing upon the matter, to wit, the original memorandum of the shipment of the arms, showing that it was made at Baton-Rouge, and that the change of the boat's register was a fraud. The original invoice of the arms, signed by the ordnance officer of the Confederate States and shipped to Colton Green on the steamer J. C. Swan, is also in the hands of the Government officers.

FRANK P. BLAIR.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS CAMP CAMERON, No. 1. Booneville, Mo., June 29, 1861.

Colonel John D. Stevenson, Seventh Regiment Missouri Volunteers, is assigned to the command of the Missouri River from Kansas City to its mouth and the adjacent country. His headquarters will be at this place. Colonel Stevenson will move as soon as practicable with that portion of his regiment which is now armed to the post assigned, leaving the remainder to join him as soon as it shall be in proper condition. He will establish and maintain at Springton, Booneville, and Jefferson City posts of sufficient strength to hold possession of those places and furnish detachments for operations in the surrounding country. He will keep two armed boats patrolling between Sherman and Kansas City, one above and one below Booneville, exercising a strict surveillance over ferry-boats and others navigating the river, and prevent their being used in transportation hostile troops or in other illegitimate traffic; and if in his opinion it shall be necessary for the accomplishment of the above purpose, he will seize and keep possession of such boats.

The armed boats will make frequent landings and send parties to scout the surrounding country, gain information of hostile parties and break them up, concerting measures, if necessary, with the adjacent post for this purpose, and give effectual protection to loyal citizens. Boats passing up and down the river will habitually be required to go in company with the armed boats. Colonel Stevenson will detail intelligent and trustworthy officers to attend to the transportation, preservation, and issue of supplies for the troops under his command, and will give as much as possible of his personal attention to the matter, to the end that the strictest economy may be enforced and the comfort and efficiency