Hindman was to join him to-day or to-morrow with a large force of infantry, for the purpose of making a desperate effort to enter Missouri, I determined to strike Marmaduke, and destroy him before re-enforcements arrived. Leaving my transportation in the rear, I made a forced march of 35 miles, with about 5,000 men, and attacked him about 10 o'clock this morning. Found him strongly posted on advantageous ground. After an engagement of about three hours, he commenced a retreat. Every foot of the ground was fought over and hotly contested. The fight continued until near sundown, when the enemy, finding that their artillery, which they were making every effort to get away, was about to be captured, sent Colonels Shelby and Emmett MacDonald with a flag of truce, for the ostensible purpose of caring for their dead and wounded, but with the real object of making good their retreat to Van Buren.

The casualties of the army I am unable to state with accuracy at this time, as we fought over 12 miles of ground. One of the rebel officers, under the flag of truce, stated to me that they had lost 60 in killed, among them a lieutenant-colonel. My loss is comparatively small. Among the wounded are Lieutenant-Colonel [L. R.] Jewell and Lieutenant [J. A.] Johnson, of the Sixth Kansas. Both of them, I fear, mortally. The enemy are badly whipped, and will probably not venture north of the Boston Mountains again this winter. If this part of the State is held, as it is their reliance for subsistence, having eaten out all in the valley of the Arkansas, they must soon retreat into Texas. I have sent for my teams to come up, and shall occupy a position at or near Cane Hill. The rebels had about ten days' rations of bread, cooked, and in little sacks behind their saddles, from which it evident they intended making a desperate effort to force their way north.

JAS. G. BLUNT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major General SAMUEL R. CURTIS.

CANE HILL, ARK., December 2, 1862.

General Marmaduke continued his flight all night, after the battle of the 28th, and is now in Van Buren. General Hindman was expected of whom I captured 25, state that Marmaduke's force was 11,000. They were compelled to abandon two pieces of artillery, disabled by my batteries. A number of their officers are killed, among them a Lieutenant-Colonel Monroe, of a Texas [Arkansas] regiment, and a Captain Martin, of an Arkansas [Missouri] regiment. The notorious Quantrill and his band were engaged in the fight, and, with Colonels Shelby and Emmett MacDonald, commanding the rear guard in the retreat across the Boston Mountains, they fought desperately. Some of Quantrill's men were killed and others taken prisoners.

My loss in killed is 5, and 4 mortally wounded, one of whom, Lieutenant-Colonel Jewell, Sixth Kansas, has since died. Lieutenant [A. H.] Campbell, Sixth Kansas, was taken prisoner. The loss of the enemy in killed is about 75. They carried most of their wounded off the field, and sent them to houses on the right and left of the road and battle-ground. All regret the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Jewell, as he was a brave and gallant officer.

Two contrabands arrived to-day from Van Buren, who state that Hindman, with 12,000 infantry, crossed the Arkansas River from the south