as possible. Glad to see you moving in that direction. Have you sent engineer officers to locate and proceed with work? Should you not hae twenty heavy columbiads and rifled cannon in addition to those you have ordered? Those batteries should be strong enough to prevent any gunboat or war vessel of the enemy from coming up in case our fleet should be disabled.

I will go down to flotilla to-night. Have you any order? How are matters progressing up the Tennessee? Is Buell in motion for co-operation? I suppose the order Numbers 3 gives you all that was desired.

THOMAS A. SCOTT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,
Cross Timber, March 31, 1862.

Captain N. H. MCLEAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: Accounts continue to bear testimony that the enemy moves east for a movement on Forsyth or Jacksonport or Pocahontas. Van Dorn has passed Dover last Tuesday with the advance. It is said Fort Smith is evacuated and guns carried down the river; that they are pulling down telegraph wires from Fayetteville to Van Buren. My cavalry was in Fayetteville yesterday and will try to be in Huntsville to-night.

Pike's forces must be in Indian Territory. Five thousand Texans were hourly expected at Fort Smith on Wednesday.

Much talk about Thompson and others burning railroad and Rolla. Rebels think that is Price's next move. Recruiting rapidly, it is said, about Little Rock, to go with Van Dorn.

Rebel bands through the country impudent, but impotent.

Very respectfully,

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

NEW MADRID, March 21, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

Our canal is finished. The barges and first steamer are in the bayou which conducts to his place. The other steamers are entering the cut above. The heavy work is done, and it only remains to cutout overhanging limbs and remove drift-wood in the bayou. Our floating battery is nearly ready, and will carry three heavy guns. It will be anchored within 500 yards of the opposite bank, to cover landing. A gunboat or two would remove nearly all our difficulty in crossing, and I am sure they could be brought down without injury. Several river pilots are ready to bring them, and state that at this stage of water they can run down close to the Missouri shore without being within three-fourths of a mile of the batteries on Island 10. If we cannot get them we shall get along without. By Tuesday night it is expected that all our boats will be there. From all information the enemy's force at island 10 and in the bend does not exceed 7,000. They seem to have made no preparation to resist our crossing. Probably they do not believe if possible to get boats through from Numbers 8. Will keep you advised now of enemy's movements.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General.