doubt. Give them distinctly to understand the nature of the service expected of them; that is to say, operations upon the enemy's frontier, crippling his transportation, cutting off his communication, &c. Do not promise them pay at any definite periods. Try and impress them with the idea that they are expected as soon as the grass rises to sustain themselves as far as may be possible; and say to them that all the stock they may be able to capture from the enemy, over and above what is required for their own use, will be purchased by the Government at fair prices.

Every energy will be used to procure a sufficient supply of arms for the troops of the department, for fear, however, from other quarters a supply may not be received. All guns out of repair should be repaired and put in useful condition as soon as practicable.

By direction of Brigadier-General Steele:

J. F. CROSBY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Little Rock, Ark., February 17, 1863.

General J. S. MARMADUKE,

Commanding, Batesville:

GENERAL: General Steele fears attack on Fort Smith from Fayetteville. My information is that the enemy are not more than two regiments, both very small, say 800 in all, at Fayetteville. If they take Fort Smith, the Indian country is gone.

Could you not take a part of your command, march rapidly to Clarksville, take Carroll's command up, and attack them, or, if they have made a move south, cut off their retreat by sending a courier in advance? Carroll would be ready. If you can effect this, it will be a brilliant operation, and one that will be of greater service to us than any that could occur. I leave the matter at your discretion, and do not wish you to attempt it if your judgment condemns.

Yours, very respectfully,

TH. H. HOLMES,

Lieutenant-General.

[Indorsement.]

FEBRUARY 19, 1863.

My judgment is that I cannot make the move.

J. S. MARMADUKE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, HINDMAN'S DIVISION,
White Bluff, February 18, 1863.

Colonel R. C. NEWTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: On the 13th instant, in obedience to orders from division and department headquarters, I had the honor to forward a report (accompanied by a diagram)* upon the merits of Day's Bluff as a position from which to resist the advance of an enemy up the valley of the Arkansas. In that report I recommended an immediate change from this to that point, and requested orders to that effect, stating that I expected

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*Not found.

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