I desire to suggest the necessity of arming a portion of this cavalry force with carbines. The country is filled with marauding parties, armed with double-barreled shot-guns, who when pressed take refuge in places inaccessible to cavalry, where to reach the men must dismount, and on foot they necessarily fight at a great disadvantage. With 80 carbines and 20,000 rounds of suitable ammunition I shall be able to so operate as to drive every band out of the country.

Respectfully,

JOHN D. STEVENSON,

Colonel, Commanding Post, Pexington, Mo.

Captain J. C. KELTON, A. A. G., Saint Louis, Mo.

Numbers 2. Report of Lieutenant James D. Jenks, First Iowa Cavalry.

LEXINGTON, MO., March 12, 1862.

COLONEL: Pursuant to your instructions I left here wit a detachment of 30 men of Companies B and D at 7 o'clock p. m. March 10. Throwing forward our advance guard, after having moved about 18 miles I learned that a company of rebels under Captain Jones were in the vicinity. We supported and examined five houses without finding the enemy. Upon proceeding to the house of one William Greer, which we immediately surrounded, we sought admittance by knocking at the door, and were immediately fired upon by the parties within, and also from the barn adjoining, both being built of logs and pierced with port-holes. A sharp skirmish ensued for about ten minutes, when the party at the barn retired and those in the house called for quarter. The firing then ceased, and upon moving up and opening the door the enemy discharged a volley full upon the party, killing 1 and wounding 2 of our men. The firing was incessant for about thirty minutes, our men firing into the doors and windows until we at last succeeded in dislodging the enemy by firing the house, which was reduced to ashes. We remained upon the ground until daylight, removing our wounded to a house near by, where they were cared for properly. The enemy lost 9 killed, 3 wounded, and 1 prisoner. Our loss is 1 killed and 4 wounded.

We arrived at this post at 3 o'clock p. m. of the 11th instant, bringing in our dead and wounded.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. JENKS,

Lieutenant Co. D, First Iowa Cav., Commanding Detachment.

Colonel JOHN D. STEVENSON, Commanding Post, Lexington, Mo.

MARCH 12, 1862.- Skirmish near Aubrey, Kans.

Report of Colonel Robert H. Graham, Eighth Kansas Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH REGIMENT KANS. VOLS.,
Leavenworth, March 19, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report that on the 10th instant I received intelligence that the rebel Quantrill had with his band entered John-