Laramie and one company of cavalry at Fort Kearny, some artillery being used for defense of forts, and that all the remainder of General Craig's command is available for service in Mississippi or elsewhere.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

SAINT LOUIS, Mo.,

December 9, 1862-6.30 p. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Commanding:

Dispatch concerning Nebraska troops received. At present we have only 715 in the Territory, distributed from Fort Kearny to South Pass. The department's informant ignores all necessity of troops at Camp Collins, Fort Halleck, and the telegraph stations. There is also some trouble with Indians near Running Water, which I think worthy of notice. The volunteer regiment ordered by General Pope is full, ten companies, but not mustered, armed, or equipped. I have directed this force to be substituted as fast as possible for old troops, in order to draw away all we can as soon as we can.

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., December 9, 1862.

Brigadier-General GORMAN, Helena, Ark.:

GENERAL: I am required to have most of the troops now at Helena ready for a down-river expedition. I am anxious to have Hove's command back on the river bank, so there may be no delay. Do all you can to facilitate any orders I may receive from General Halleck in this regard. I am sorry to have to leave you with only force enough to hold Eastern Arkansas, but I have urged the necessity of an early return or the accommodation of the matter by the immediate supply of new forces. Blunt and Herron fought a battle and won a victory at Fayetteville over Hindman.

Truly, yours,

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

[DECEMBER 9, 1862.-For Curtis to Steele, in reference to operations down the Mississippi, &c., see Series I, Vol. XVII, Part II, p. 395.]

HDQRS. 2nd AND 3rd DIVISIONS, ARMY OF THE FRONTIER,
Camp Prairie Grove, December 9, 1862.

Brigadier General E. B. BROWN, Springfield, Mo.:

Send a messenger to Colonel Philips, at Newtonia, to move his regiment without delay to Elkhorn Tavern, and assume command of that post. Instruct him to be expeditious about the movement. General Blunt has sent a cavalry force in there to protect his line and keep clear that section. Colonel Philips will find full instructions awaiting him at Elkhorn. Order forward to join me Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin and his detachment, instructing them to take charge of and guard through the commissary train now on the route here. Colonel Richardson and