two companies of cavalry, and battery of artillery at Alton. Shall assume command at once. Moving with the force from Alton to Saint Charles to-night and that at Quincy, will take position on line of Hannibal and Saint Joseph Railroad to-day, and will put the entire force in North Mississippi into action immediately.

JNO. POPE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, July 18, 1861.

General FREMONT,

U. S. Army:

Your letter of 16th* and telegram of 18th received. The General-in-Chief says please proceed to your command without coming here. He has no particular instructions for you at present. He adds, for your information, the term of service of three months' volunteers began with date of reception and muster into service.

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE WEST, No.-. Springfield, Mo., July 19, 1861.

The following troops will move to this point at an early hour to-morrow morning and report to Brigadier-General Sweeny, viz: Second Regiment Kansas Volunteers, under Colonel Mitchell; a battalion, about 500 strong, of First Regiment Iowa Volunteers, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Merritt; two companies of cavalry, to be designated by will take one wagon to each company, with the necessary camp equipage. Provisions and the necessary transportation will be furnished from this place.

By order of General Lyon:

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Acting Adjutant-General.

SAINT LOUIS, July 19, 1861.

Major-General FREMONT:

It was the design to occupy Southwest Missouri, cutting off all approaches from Arkansas by way of Pocahontas, to occupy Poplar Bluffs, Bloomfield, Greenville, and the line of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad. Accordingly one regiment is at Ironton, ready to advance when re-enforced. Grant was under orders, but his orders were countermanded. Marsh is at Cape Girardeau, instructed to keep open communication with Bloomfield, where Grant was to be. General Prentiss has eight regiments at Cairo, and could spare five of them to go into that country. If we once lose possession of the swamps of that region, a large army will be required to clear them, while if we get possession first and hold the causeway, a smaller force will do. General McClellan telegraphed that he had authentic intelligence of a large army gathering at Pocahontas,

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*Not found.

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