laboring under the effects of a wound received at the battle of Oak Hills, and I thought it best to remain here until Colonel Cooke's return.

Colonel Cooke will also communicate to you the necessity of an order for transportation of medical stores from this place, which are much needed at our hospitals at Springfield for both Confederate and Missouri forces.

With my ardent wishes for your success in your new field of labor, and hoping to see you very soon in command in person in Missouri,

I am, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. CLARK,

Brigadier-General, Missouri Army.

HEADQUARTERS UPPER DISTRICT ARKANSAS,
Pitman's Ferry, September 24, 1861.

General A. S. JOHNSTON, Columbus, Ky.:

GENERAL: The last detachment of my command will start to-morrow for Point Pleasant, on the Mississippi River, which place, I hope, my entire command will reach in nine days from that date.

The road has been found in a desperately bad condition. Indeed Colonel Cleburne, who commands the advance, and who was sent forward with his regiment to repair the road, writes me that in wet weather the road will be found impassable. In addition to this regiment I have sent forward another party of 200 men under Lieutenant-Colonel Marmaduke.

I hope these timely precautions will enable me to work the command through even in bad weather.

When I last heard from Colonel Cleburne he had not reached the plank road; but a special courier who was sent over this road and returned yesterday says it will not be difficult to put it in traveling order. I regret our delay, but it has been unavoidable.

I shall need rations on the 1st proximo; the quantity will depend on our destination.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. J. HARDEE,

Brigadier-General.

(Copy to General Polk.)

COLUMBUS, KY., September 25, 1861.

Honorable S. R. MALLORY, Secretary of the Navy:

SIR: I am to-day in receipt of your orders, through Captain Buchanan, directing Lieutenant I. H. Carter, C. S. Navy, to report to Flag Officer Holins for duty at New Orleans. I desire to say that I have respectfully to request, if the interests of the service will not be compromised by it, that Lieutenant Carter be permitted to remain on duty in this department.

The gunboats the enemy have now in the Mississippi River are giving us most serious annoyance, and I find it indispensable, to check their movements and to protect our transports, to have an armed boat under my command. Without its aid our operations would be very seriously obstructed, it not to an extent paralyzed. As a necessity, therefore, I have purchased a strong river boat, which I have secured