ing their families, property, homes, and country in a continued flight before their oppressors.

Sincerely hoping, general, that you may generously accord with these matured suggestions of mine, I am, with respect, your obedient servant,

STERLING PRICE,

Major-General, Commanding Mo. S. G.

ON BENTONVILLE ROAD, November 11, 1861.

Major General STERLING PRICE,

Commanding Missouri State Guard, Pineville, MO.:

GENERAL: Yours of yesterday is before me. I am to-day obstructing the road, and will cripple the enemy badly should he attack my position. This I proposed doing before falling back; yet I am still of the opinion that it would have been better for us to have drawn the enemy to a point where defeat would have been total ruin and destruction to his whole force. If we drive him back, in the event of an attack, he will withdraw to Springfield without the loss of a single piece of artillery, and in such condition as not to allow us to follow him. Such success (as far as Missouri in concerned) would be but little better than defeat.

As for starving people by destroying the mills and grain that would be used by the enemy, I have to say, as far as your State is concerned, that I deplore much, very much, the necessity for perusing such a course, but can think there is little danger of any one starving in country where full crops have been made and only have the population left ot consume it. As for Arkansas, every man who is a patriot and sound Southern man will be the first to put the torch to his own grain or mill rather than have them left to aid the enemy. If he is not a true Southern man, it will only be treating him right to destroy that which he would rather let the enemy have then ourselves.

I am exceedingly busy in preparing for an attack, which may never be made only by turning my flank, but will be pleased to meet you on the Bentonville road, some 10 to 12 miles from Pineville, at 12 o'clock to-morrow.

I have the honor to be, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

BEN. McCULLOCH,

Brigadier-General.

LITTLE ROCK, November 12, 1861.

SECRETARY OF WAR:

The following is a copy of a resolution this day adopted by the senate of Arkansas:

Resolved, That the secretary shall official be requested forthwith to dispatch to the Secretary of War at Richmond that General Johnston has ordered the disbandment of the volunteers in this State; that the State is menaced in two quarters by our enemies, and that he be requested to withdraw or modify the order for disbandment as aforesaid.

JNO. D. KIMBALL,

Secretary Senate.