SAINT LOUIS, September 29, 1862.

Colonel HARDING:

Let Boyd have your ambulances; the company you send can escort them. You can get out to support Boyd if he is compelled to fall back at half days' march, say 12 miles, taking up a strong position and looking out for your communication with the fort. Take Gray's regiment and our own when required to go. The First Wisconsin Cavalry is ordered over at once from the Cape to Greenville, giving Boyd about 600 more troops. boyd is ordered, as soon as the First Wisconsin Cavalry arrives, to move to Pilot Knob with the companies of his own regiment, the Twenty-fourth, and take command, leaving Colonel Lazear in command of all the cavalry and artillery at Greenville. I hope to relieve your regiment for the Fourth Missouri in a few days. You can go to Pilot this noon; order a special trains if necessary. You have been very active and vigilant, and I thank you.

DAVIDSON,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. FIFTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Memphis, September 29, 1862.

Major General SAMUEL R. CURTIS,
Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis:

DEAR GENERAL: I inclose you two papers received last night by flag of truce from General Hindman.* By these you will see he has got back to Little Rock and has re-established his communications. Not being on my side of the river I must send them to you fro action, and should you want to answer I will send your answer across under a flag. I rather suspected this whole proceeding was a plea to communicate, and acted with due precaution. The bearer arrived in the evening and I started him back in the night. I wrote to General Hindman that Lieutenant Tollisen had been arrested on the river for being concerned in some guerrilla raid, but had escaped prison; that of the others I know nothing and would refer to you. Of course I mentioned incidentally the ridiculous portion of his communication, his claiming the rights of civilized warfare for ununiformed, cowardly guerrillas, firing form ambush on unarmed steamers loaded with women and children, and his regret that his efforts to teach us the rules of civilized warfare had proven a failure. I refer the letters to you for such action as you may deem proper to relieve the officers of the First Wisconsin Cavalry from their present dilemma. To my inquiry, "Why this flag of truce from Hindman--where is Holmes?" I received answer. "Holmes is sick." Hindman has no right to use a flag of truce if Holmes be at Little Rock; so I infer Holmes is on the march and Hindman sent to Little Rock to kick up a dust. You can drew your own inference.

My first are near done. Negroes accumulating and matters generally quiet. Guerrillas busy on the river, but quiet in the interior.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

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*Not found, but see Sherman to Hindman, September 28, p. 682.

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