adopt to stop the marauding and straggling of soldiers of this command. Can I have some of them drummed out of service? Court-martialing is too slow.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. J. HERRON,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Houston, Mo., January 7, 1863.

Major H. Z. CURTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Saint Louis, Mo.:

MAJOR: I have the telegram of the general commanding of last night, at 8 a.m. this day.

I immediately re-enforced Colonel Merrill with 200 cavalry, making his number of men 1,000. I could not send more to do any good. I have here 150,000 rations, quite a quantity of quartermaster's stores, just in, and a lot of contraband stock, which I shall defend.

Colonel Merrill was on their rear. They are said to have left Hartville last evening, and he was there at 6 a.m. to day and following them. He (Colonel Merrill) reports the column to be 3,000; others state it higher. They are said to have two pieces of artillery, but of what caliber I could not learn. All my trains are in. I had a foraging party of 150, with 50 wagons, out in Beaver Creek Valley, but they came in this morning in good condition. I also sent out a courier and hurried a quartermaster's train which was due here to-morrow; they came in to-night. I have, with what came n this evening, only 50 mounted men. I can do nothing, therefore, but patrol and watch the approaches to this post.

I am, major, respectfully, your obedient servant,

FITZ HENRY WARREN,

Brigadier-General.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,]

January 7, 1863.

Brigadier General FITZ HENRY WARREN, Houston, Mo.:

The following dispatch just received:

Commanding officer at Lawrence's Mill reports that a scout I sent into Arkansas under Captain Burch, is falling on that post, having learned that a force of 6,000 rebels was moving north from Dubuque.

I think that this a great exaggeration of the enemy's force, as I have not learned of more than 3,000 of the enemy being in Northern Arkansas, and about 600 in the vicinity of Dubuque. I have sent two scouts to reconnoiter, and shall order the Enrolled Missouri Militia, into service.

Where is General Warren's force? I have about 1,200 effective [men] and two pieces of artillery, but no harness.

E. B. BROWN,

Brigadier-General.

LATER, 5 P. M.-He says the enemy have reached Lawrence's Mill, which they burned, and are marching toward Ozark.

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.