JULY 7, 1862.-Action at Hill's Plantation, Cache River, and skirmishes at Round Hill and Bayou De View, Ark.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1.-Major General Samuel R. Curtis, U. S. Army, commanding of the South west.

Numbers 2.-Brigadier General Frederick Steele, U. S. Army, commanding First Division.

Numbers 3.-Brigadier General William P. Benton, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade.

Numbers 4.-Colonel Charles E. Hovey, Thirty-third Illinois Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.

Numbers 5.-Colonel Conrad Baker, First Indiana Cavalry, commanding Fourth Brigade.

Numbers 6.-Lieutenant Colonel William F. Wood, First Indiana Cavalry.

Numbers 1. Report of Major General Samuel R. Curtis, U. S. Army, commanding Army of the Southwest.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,
July 10, 1862.

I arrived here last night, 24 hours after the steamboats had left with the supplies, after almost daily skirmishes, in all of which my troops got the best of it. The enemy, about 600 strong, made a stand near Cache River, near Round Hill, where Colonel Heavy, of the Thirty-third Illinois, commanding the advance of General Steele's division, encountered him. I directed re-enforcements, only a small portion of which arrived, to assist in a complete rout of the enemy. This was on the 7th. Some of the force fled this way, but most of it went toward Little Rock, evacuating the fort at Devall's Bluff. Only needed three boats to assist me in crossing White River and a few days' rations to enable me to drive the enemy beyond Little Rock and out of harm's way.

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

Major-General HALLECK.

Numbers 2. Report of Brigadier General Frederick Steele, U. S. Army, commanding First Division.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,
Camp near Helena, Ark., July 20, 1862.

MAJOR: On the 7th instant I directed Colonel Hovey, at the crossing on the Cache River, to proceed, with a body of skirmishers and one small steel gun across the river in advance of the blockade, for the purpose of protecting the parties working to clear the blockade and of clearing the woods of guerrillas that had been firing into our camp.

Colonel Hovey advanced with eight companies of infantry of his brigade and one small steel gun as far as Hill's plantation, where he encountered the enemy in considerable force. A fierce engagement ensued, in which the enemy was defeated and totally routed, with heavy loss on his part and comparatively small loss on ours. For details of the engagement I refer you to the report of Colonel Hovey, which is clear and explicit.