RICHMOND, November 13, 1861.

JOHN D. KIMBALL, Secretary Senate, Little Rock, Ark.:

Your dispatch received. I understand that General Johnston has only disbanded unarmed troops that have not enlisted for the war. The Government cannot give arms to volunteers for twelve months as long as it has troops offered for the ar to a number greater than can now be armed. If Arkansas will imitate her sister States in tendering volunteers for the war, this Government will supply them with arms in equal proportion with the other States.

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Acting Secretary of War.

COLUMBUS, KY., November 13, 1861.

President DAVIS:

Since the battle of Belmont and the inglorious defeat of the enemy's picked troops he seems to be driven almost to madness. He is now making preparations upon a gigantic scale to invest this place. He is drawing his forces from every available point of the Northwest, and will be able to bring a force of 30,000 men to invest. Our great want is armed boats. With these to meet and hold in check the enemy's gunboats, we can successfully meet his forces. The attack, we are assured, will be made in the course of eight days. If it be possible, let us have the New Orleans fleet of armed vessels. The battle of Belmont was a hard-fought conflict of four hours. Twenty-five hundred men fought 7,500. When our ammunition was exhausted we drove his line back in three different charges; but, supported by his immense reserve, we were at last forced to fall back to the bank of the river, from which place, by a rapid flank movement under the bank of the river, myself, with two fresh regiments, turned his left and attacked him in the rear. The victory was complete. Our total loss was 632; their about 2,000. Please answer about fleet. General Polk's injuries were more serious than was at first supposed. He found it necessary to turn over the command for the present to,

Respectfully,

GID. J. PILLOW,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST MILITARY DISTRICT, MO. S. G.,
New Madrid, Mo., November 14, 1861.

Colonel W. G. PHEELAN,

Second Regiment Infantry, Missouri State Guard:

DEAR COLONEL: Yours of the 12th instant (8 p. m.) was received last night.* You will find that the object you desire to accomplish can be done by holding the infantry in a safe place and using our flankers and partisans (dragoons) to protect the county. I think that Kitchen, Hale, and Hunter will strike more terror into the marauders than 5,000 infantry. Your trip to Skinner's Ridge will not pay. There is now being collected an immense army, to march down the Mississippi Valley, and probably the whole force that has been after Price will be joined to it; therefore a large or permanent force on the Stoddard Ridge would but

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*Not found.

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