Besides our duty as provost guard we have to furnish a strong force to guard prisoners and commissary stores at this post.

My whole effective force is 230 men. By my original order from Colonel Barstow I am required to keep a sufficient force at Mine Creek and Trading Post to insure the quietness of that neighborhood. My force there now is 60 men. At the suggestion and approval of the commanding general I have sent a force to Jasper County, Missouri, to protect the Union men in that vicinity, which leaves me only 120 men to protect the post and the immense amount of stores here. I have no disposition to exaggerate or create needless alarm, but I cannot help feeling that it would be very proper for our force to be increased. I assure you, sir,that I shall be active and vigilant and do all that can be done to protect the interests of the Government, and hardly fear any attack, without Quantrill's and Hays' bands should drop in on us on their way down to the southern country.

Our guard-house is well filled with jayhawkers and desperadoes of different kinds, and some of the worst ones, with their friends outside, threaten just enough to make me a little anxious to string some of them up.

I am notified that 105 rebel prisoners taken at the fight of Grand Saline will reach here to-morrow (July 11),and with my small force it will be impossible for me to guard them safely, and under the circumstances shall order them being taken to Fort Leavenworth, together with some prisoners already in confinement here.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. S. HENNING,

Major Third Wis. Cavalry, Commanding Post and Provost-Marshal.

FORT LARAMIE, July 10, 1862.

Brigadier-General BLUNT, Commanding:

Under an order from Post-Office Department the mail company are removing their stages and stock from the North Platte, Sweetwater, and South Pass to a route 100 miles south.

I am furnishing small escorts for the property and men. The emigration now passing principally family trains and need protection.

The telegraph line cannot be kept up if troops all leave line. I regard a war with the Indians inevitable,unless the Government is willing to abandon the road, both for mails and emigrants. I am satisfied that white men are leading the Indians.

I start a messenger to you to-morrow with details. In mean time let me hear if you approve my keeping portion of my command on this road until emigration passes and to protect telegraph.

JAS. CRAIG,

Brigadier-General.

SPRINGFIELD, July 11, 1862.

Brigadier General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD, Saint Louis:

Rains has reappeared at Fayetteville, Ark., with 600 men; has a few tents and is short of ammunition; has sent to Fort Smith for a supply; has a few miserable teams.

Coffee, Stand Watie, and a new office, whose name I have not learned,