After much consideration, and consultation with influential and intelligent gentlemen hereabout, I am decidedly of opinion that this at least should be done, and that the commandant thereof should have under him at least 10,000 troops.

If this can be done, and I can have the command of the department, I will cheerfully accept it, resign my seat in the Senate, and devote all my thoughts and energies to the prosecution of the war. But if nothing can be done to remedy the evils complained of, I will, as above intimated, be compelled to leave my command, quit the field, and most reluctantly become an idle spectator of the great struggle, and witness, I have no doubt, the devastation of my adopted State and the destruction of its people.

Yours, truly,

J. H. LANE.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, Saint Louis, Mo., October 9, 1861.

Brigadier General S. R. CURTIS,
Commanding, &c., Benton Barracks, Mo.:

SIR: I have ordered Captain Callender to arm Colonels Wright's and Boyd's regiments. You will please detach the battery of the Ninth Iowa from the regiment and mention them separately in the consolidated reports. It will not accompany the regiment. You will order the Ninth Iowa to proceed to Pacific City to-morrow morning and report for orders to Brigadier-General Harding. They will take tents with them and rations for ten days. The order for them to proceed to Rolla is suspended for the present.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAUNCEY McKEEVER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Abstract from statement of troops in the Western Department, October 10, 1861.

Station. Strength. Station. Strength.

Benton Barracks. 5,221 Brought forward. 42,872

Cairo, Bird's 13,608 Paducah, Ky. 6,821

Point, and

vicinity.

Chillicothe. 1,700 Rolla. 2,069

Georgetown. 9,071 Saint Joseph. 1,000

Hannibal. 1,050 Saint Louis 1,339

Arsenal.

Ironton. 2,972 Sedalia. 4,928

Jefferson City. 4,247 Syracuse. 4,472

Kansas City. 1,200 Tipton. 11,345

New Mexico. 3,803 Miscellaneous 18,285

points.

Carried forward. 42,872 Grand total*. 93,131

[CIRCULAR LETTER.] CAMP ASBOTH,

Tipton, Mo., October 11, 1861.

GENERAL: The following movements of the several divisions of the Army of Western Missouri have been decided upon:

Acting Major-General Pope, with the forces under his immediate command, will march by way of Otterville to Sedalia, and from there by the most direct route to Leesville.

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*See McKeever to Thomas, October 19, post.

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