JEFFERSON CITY, June 16, 1863.

Major-General SCHOFIELD:

The Fanny Ogden passes here yesterday about 2 o'clock. I will try and send a force toward Lexington. The troops are much scattered in this district.

E. B. BROWN,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, June 16, 1863.

Brigadier-General EWING,

Commanding District of the Border, Kansas City:

GENERAL: I have sent the parts of the Sixth Kansas and Third Wisconsin Cavalry which were at Rolla to Fort Scott, the entire Sixth Kansas to be placed under General Blunt, and the Third Wisconsin to be concentrated at Fort Scott, and there await further orders. My intention is to send it on to the Santa Fe route, or on to the telegraph line in Nebraska, or, perhaps, both, as circumstances may require. It will probably be necessary to send four companies into Nebraska, though I hope only temporarily. I expect a battalion from Ohio in a few weeks for that service. I prefer not to divide the Third Wisconsin again if it can be avoided, and would like to send the whole of it into the Santa Fe line.

Please inquire into the matter, and ascertain what disposition of troops will be best under the circumstances, and inform me by the time the Third Wisconsin is concentrated at Fort Scott.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE BORDER,
Kansas City, Mo., June 17, 1863.

Major General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD,

Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.:

GENERAL: The report I sent you from Leavenworth, as to the guerrilla force, I think was greatly exaggerated, though it is confirmed by the last advices I have. I sent a force of about 200 to meet it last evening, and have no doubt it will be abundant.

I cannot yet tell whether the force allowed me will be sufficient, but think it will when I get it arranged and distributed to suit me. I shall want to place half of one of the militia regiments along the border line.

General Blunt is very emphatic in his declarations of danger to Colonel Phillips, and asks that one battery, the four companies of the Sixth Kansas at Rolla, and the Twelfth Kansas, which I propose to relieve with the Eleventh Kansas, be sent to him at Fort Scott. He says with that he can not only hold Fort Gibson, but also take and hold Fort Smith. He says that, by order of General Curtis, the Thirteenth reported to him, and that he will send that regiment to Colonel Phillips as soon as the men can be collected at Fort Scott, say the last of this month. The Twelfth and Thirteenth, you will recollect, are infantry regiments, and the former is nearly a maximum regiment.

The information I gather as to the danger of Phillips' command does not all of it support the general's information. I am satisfied, however,

21 R R-VOL XXII, PT II