the river. They have dug rifle-pits at the fords. The river is up. We shelled the enemy out of their camp by throwing over the river when they were near it, and they fell back to Elk Creek, where they now remain. Yesterday they were re-enforced by Bass' regiment of Texas infantry [cavalry], and six companies of Arkansas cavalry. Their force now consists of, viz: Colonel Watie's regiment of Cherokee half breeds and whites;Colonel Adair's regiment, including Bryan's battalion; Colonel Una [D. N.] McIntosh's regiment of Creeks; Colonel Chilly McIntosh's regiment of Creeks and whites; Colonel Tandy Walker's Choctaw regiment [mounted]; Colonel Folsom's Choctaw regiment of infantry and cavalry; Colonel De Morse's Texas cavalry; Colonel Hawpe's Texas infantry [cavalry]; Colonel Bass' Texas infantry [cavalry] (arrived yesterday); Captain Scanland's battalion Texas cavalry (Cooper's body guard); Colonel Hawkins' Texas battalion (mounted); Colonel Young's Texas battalion (mounted), and one battery, four pieces, of 12-pounder field howitzers, and two 6-pounders and a rifled gun.

It is rumored that they have some small howitzers, but I am not positive. Six companies of Arkansas mounted men, from the south of Arkansas River, arrived yesterday with Bass' regiment. I do not know who commands them.

Brigadier-General Cabell's force, which consists of Brooks' Carroll's, and Monroe's regiments, all mounted, with three pieces of artillery (brass), has taken the field. Cooper, in his last communication (yesterday), signs himself brigadier-general. Major-General Holmes commands Steele's, Cooper's, and Cabell's brigades. Holmes is somewhere between Little Rock and Fort Smith, I believe at Lewisburg, directing movements.

I have lately had better information of the enemy's condition and movements. I have had communications. I will explain in separate dispatch.

The enemy's force consists of some bitter secesh and a lot of conscripts. While I write, another flag of truce from General Cooper is announced at the river.

Respectfully,

WM. A. PHILLIPS,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES FORCES,
Fort Blunt, C. N., July 7, 1863.

Major-General BLUNT,

Commanding District of the Frontier:

SIR: I desire to inform you of the condition of affairs south of the river. An excellent crop of wheat and corn has been raised. The wheat harvested south of the river in Arkansas. There never was a crop so abundant. It will be two months before the corn is fair for bread, but it is tasseling, clean, and plenty of rain. The rebels have allowed the "Mountain Feds" to harvest their wheat, but are now conscripting everything. Some have to submit; others are fleeing to the mountains.

I have had for some time the utmost difficulty in getting information from the enemy over the river. My spies were taken or killed, and many of my expedients failed. I have opened some new leads. One is a correspondence with a man whom you commissioned last fall to raise some men south of the river. He raised a company, was enrolled by Holmes, and offered the pleasant alternative of hanging or going back to the rebels. He,of course, chose the latter, biding his time. He