uniform, and addressed the leader of the party in advance as captain. This is all I have been able to learn. The fugitives have just arrived. I shall send 100 men in the same direction to-morrow.

Early this morning I started Lieutenant Jenks and 24 men on the direct road to Waldron.

I have the honor to be, must respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN M. HARRELL,

Major, Commanding Brooks' Cavalry.

Major [HENRY] EWING,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Marmaduke's Division.

DECEMBER 5-13, 1863.- Reconnaissance from Little Rock and skirmish (8th) at Princeton, Ark.

Reports of Colonel Lewis Merrill, Second Missouri Cavalry.

DECEMBER 11, 1863.

GENERAL: We surprised a rebel camp 2 miles below Princeton on Tuesday - about 600 of them. Drove them within 16 miles of Camden, where they scattered so much that we could do nothing more. They were entirely wounded, losing 8 killed, 6 of them killed with the saber; 18 wounded, and 3 commissioned officers and 25 privates captured, and 1 four-mule wagon, loaded with blankets, captured. The rest of their train was out foraging, and go warning, and escaped before we learned where they were.

There are no indications of an immediate advance that I could discover. Fagan and Parsons are at Camden. Price with the rest of his old army is at Woodlawn, 18 miles from Camden. Marmaduke is west of Arkadelphia, near Spoonville, with small outposts at Arkadelphia, and scouting as far as Rockport. Holmes is relieved from command, and ordered east of the Mississippi. Kirby Smith is said to be still at Shreveport; has been to Washington recently. Price's force is recuperated considerably, but does not exceed, including Marmaduke's, 14,000 or 15,000 effective men; many of these are conscripts, just taken in, and State troops. Will make detailed report upon my return.

Our loss, 1 man, wounded severely.

Yours, respectfully,

LEWIS MERRILL,

Colonel, Commanding.

Major-General STEELE,

Little Rock, Ark.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION,
Little Rock, Ark., December 17, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report below the result of the reconnaissance which I have just completed, in compliance with the orders of the major-general commanding the army:

On the 4th instant, I received from Brigadier-General Davidson, commanding cavalry division, orders to report in person to the major-general commanding, for further instructions, and to take command for the duty assigned me of the following troops: Seventh Missouri Cavalry, Major [M. H.] Brawner commanding, 400; two battalions of First Iowa