McCulloch is at Fayetteville, Ark. Price says he is going to Jefferson City as soon as they are organized. At prevent he has no discipline, no roll-calls, no sentinels, nor picket to prevent passing in and out of Springfield. Rains drunk all the time. Price also drinking too much. No Union men between 8 miles here and them.

FRED'K STEELE.

WELLSVILLE, January 2, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK,

Commanding Department of the Missouri:

GENERAL: Your messenger arrived with dispatches last night. I will at once institute measures to carry out your instructions as far as is in my power. After sending you a dispatch from Cross Plains on the 28th, finding it impossible to get any information on which to base my operations, I went the next morning with a small force to Mexico, where I obtained the secession account of General Prentiss' fight. I at once sent three columns, under General Henderson, Colonel Todd, and Colonel Hare, from Mexico, Concord, and Fulton to cut off the retreat of the insurgents. I have not yet heard the result of these expeditions. Being far from any telegraph station and it being no longer possible for you to order other troops to co-operate with me, I did not attempt to communicate with you until my arrival at Martinsburg.

Before leaving Mexico I succeeded in getting news from General Prentiss at Sturgeon. He was about starting for Hudson, and directed me to take charge of affairs along this road. I have left a part of General Henderson's command at Mexico, and will distribute my command from that place to Saint Charles, so as to give protection to the road and pick up the scattering bridge-burners. Many of them have passed back across the road and seem to be attempting to conceal themselves.

I have no doubt we will be able to arrest nearly all of them in time.

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

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS, NORTH MISSOURI R. R.,
Wellsville, January 2, 1862.

Brigadier-General HENDERSON, Mexico, Mo.:

GENERAL: I have heard nothing yet of the result of the expedition towards Columbia, but presume you returned to Mexico last night or this morning.

I wish you to keep at Mexico a force sufficient for any emergency and to use the remainder in scouting the country to the north and east of you.

I am establishing posts along the road to give it protection and to serve as centers of operations.

It will doubtless soon be necessary to make expeditions into Pike and Lincoln counties. In this I shall require the co-operation of your troops on account of their intimate knowledge of the country and people.

Keep me advised of all your movements and of all important information you get.

I am going to Montgomery this evening and farther down to-morrow.

I will send you supplies of clothing and ammunition as far as the