a position toward Carrollton or Yellville, where forage can be had, but no more distant from Forsyth than necessary. The advanced force must guard against attack by a superior force, and, if threatened by such a force, all back and hold the crossing at Forsyth. The object is to protect the ferry-boat and prevent the rebels from crossing north of White River.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,

No. 22.
Saint Louis, Mo., March 25, 1863.

Pursuant to Paragraph II, General Orders, No. 48, War Department, Colonel B. L. E. Bonneville, U. S. Army, is, in addition to his other duties, assigned to duty as commissary of musters for this department.

District and army commanders will, as soon as practicable, indicate the officers to be assigned to duty at their respective headquarters as assistant commissaries of musters. Such as have no officer of the Regular Army (including additional aides-de-camp, appointed by the President, under the act approved August 5, 1861) under their commands of recommend for this duty, will report the fact, by telegraph or otherwise, that proper officers may be assigned as soon as possible.

By command of Major-General Curtis:

H. Z. CURTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DISTS. WEST. ARK. AND IND. T., DEPT. OF THE MO.,
In the Field, Camp Pomeroy, Ark., March 27, 1863.

Major-General CURTIS,

Commanding Department of the Missouri:

SIR: The tri-monthly return has been forwarded. The general health in this immediate command is good, although we still have occasional cases of small-pox. By to-morrow I think all of the Indian regiments will be vaccinated. I all, there have been about forty cases, eight fatal, since it broke out six weeks ago. Our sanitary regulations have much improved the general health of the army.

The enemy still hold Clarksville, although no point on this side of the river above it. They hold Fort Smith, from which I could very easily dispossess them, but have been embarrassed by the Arkansas command at Fayetteville. I have ordered some small earthworks to be thrown up by the soldiers there, so that one or two companies could hold it against guerrilla bands that might be massed in force enough to take a small command. Guerrillas have been pretty well driven out of this section.

The Indian soldiers are exceedingly anxious to move forward on the Arkansas River and into the Nation, and continually press it, as the cropping season is wearing on the refugees expected down.

I have sent scouts to Clarksville, and, if the enemy attempts to remain there, I will try and take in Cabell, and then move up the river on Fort Smith, the design being to frustrate any attempt of the enemy to reorganize or mass his forces.

I have four companies at Hildebrand's Mill, Cherokee Nation, where the upper portion of the Nation is protected. I run the mill hauling grain from this section of Arkansas. I have the quarantine hospital there. Many citizens of the Nation are in great suffering for bread.