We brought a large quantity of stock from the face of the enemy. Some of the cattle in the herd belong to our Cherokee soldiers and have not yet been separated. Believing that the remainder of them would be amply sufficient to supply the Indian Brigade for months to come and save the Government a great expense, I respectfully urge that they be retained as a herd for that purpose, and not sold to speculators at a nominal price to the prejudice of the Government.

A large number of refugee Indians and their families are following the retreating army for protection, having exposed themselves to the fury of the rebels by declaring for the Union. To aid in supporting these people this herd can be usefully employed even while it sustains the army. Impressed with the importance and stern necessity of this matter, I respectfully protest against any disposal of this stock that would defeat so praiseworthy a bestowal of it.

I remain, very respectfully,

WM. A. PHILIPS,

Major, Commanding Third Regiment Indian Home Guard.

Colonel R. W. FURNAS,

Commanding Indian Brigade.

JULY 27-28, 1862.- Skirmish at Brown's Spring and action at Moore's Mill, near Fulton, Mo.

Report of Colonel Odon Guitar, Ninth Missouri Cavalry (Militia).

HEADQUARTERS,
Columbia, Mo., October -, 1862.

SIR: I improve this, the earliest opportunity, to report operations of troops under my command at Brown's Spring, July 27, and Moore's Mill, July 28, 1862:

On July 27 I received at Jefferson City, of which post I was then in command, a dispatch from General Schofield, ordering me to sent without delay two companies of my regiment to join Lieutenant-Colonel Shaffer, Merrill's Horse, at Columbia, advising me that Porter was in the north part of Boone County with a large rebel force. In pursuance of this order at once started Companies A and B of my regiment to the point indicated. Upon the same day, and close upon the heels of this dispatch, I received a message from Captain Duffield, Third Iowa Cavalry, commanding post at Fulton, advising me that porter, Cobb, and others were at Brown's Spring, 11 miles north of that post, with a force variously estimated at from 600 to 900 men; that they were threatening an attack upon the post, and that the strong probability was it would be made before the following morning. Notwithstanding the absence of General Totten, then commanding the Central District, and the very small number of available troops at the post (then not exceeding 500 men of all arms), I felt that the emergency demanded prompt action and justified the assumption of whatever responsibility might be necessary to secure it. With 100 picked men from my own regiment, consisting of 25 each from Companies E, F, G, and H, respectively, under the commands of Lieutenant J. Pinhard, Captain H. N. Cook, Lieutenant J. v. Dunn, and Captain H. S. Glaze, and one section of the Third Indiana Battery, 32 men, under Lieutenant A. G. Armington, I crossed the river at Jefferson City, reaching the opposite shore about 10 p. m.