HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EASTERN ARKANSAS, Helena, January 24, 1863.

Major General SAMUEL R. CURTIS,
Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.:

GENERAL: I am again permanently in position at this post. General Fisk is now all ready with a division of six regiments of infantry, three companies of cavalry,and First Missouri Battery, leaving me in command of less than 5,000 effective men.

I trust you will allow me to have Generals Hovey and Washburn, and so arrange it as not to send to this post any brigadier that ranks either of them. They are eminently unexceptionable officers, and we harmonize well. One, you know, commands the cavalry; the other the infantry. Hovey has a very slim division of infantry, and Washburn a very slim division of cavalry. This organization, you will perceive, is made as a compliment to their rank, and to dignify their commands.

General Fisk would like to have staid with me, but General McClernand's orders, precipitated upon General Grant's, asked for General Fisk's forces, and I gave them as requested. I send this, fearing the public dispatches may not reach you.

I am, general, very truly, your friend,

W. A. GORMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Saint Louis, Mo., January 24, 1863.

Brigadier General WILLIS A. GORMAN,
Commanding District of Eastern Arkansas:

GENERAL: Your dispatch from Devall's Bluff is duly received. I congratulate you and your command on your success.

I apprehended trouble at different points on White River, but you must have overcome all of them. If we can retain one or two gunboats on White River, and your force can be united with other forces on this side, we can soon clean out Northern Arkansas. But the Vicksburg matter is of primary importance, and before this reaches you I may not have you within a hundred miles of my command. The taking of the forts on both of Arkansas and White Rivers is a complete success, so far, in my general plan of the Arkansas campaign. The only trouble is the necessity of withdrawing forces for Vicksburg that I would like to move still farther, so as to join my frontier and southeastern armies, neither of which can proceed they are certain of receiving supplies by those rivers.

I am, general, very truly, your obedient servant,

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Saint Louis, Mo., January 24, 1863.

Major General JOHN A. McCLERNAND,

Commanding Army of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: I am in receipt of yours of the 14th instant. The move on the Old Post was not only successful and exceedingly creditable to