interest, pecuniary or other, in any claim which may be brought before said committee to be audited.

11th. In case a member of a sub-committee has suffered damage from guerrillas, the other members of the committee will audit and pass upon his claim.

12th. The last valuation of the possessions of individuals by the proper State officers will be the standard of estimate of wealth adopted by the committee.

By order of Brigadier General Lewis Merrill:

GEO. M. HOUSTON,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, October 2, 1862.

Major-General CURTIS, Saint Louis, Mo.:

Governor Phelps telegraphs that General Steele has been ordered to send a part of his force by water to Sulphur Springs. I fear that you will regret dividing his army, and that the part left at Helena will be useless or lost. Unless you find it absolutely necessary to withdraw General Steele he ought to operate from Helena. The moment Cincinnati and Louisville are relieved I can given you more troops from Illinois and Ohio. You know your own condition better than I do, and must decide about this. At so great a distance I can only advise.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., October 2, 1862-2.30 p. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Genera-in-Chief:

GENERAL: General Steele's move is in accordance with your suggestion of the 18th ultimo to General Schofield to co-operate with Missouri troops. Water is the quickest and safest route. I had to divide the Helena force to do anything, as I do not wish to abandon Helena. Phelps has his heart set on Little Rock, which at this time would be only an incumbrance. It is easy to re-enforce Helena if you let me have fresh troops, and the health and discipline of the Army will be improved by the change. Meanwhile McBride, with 5,000 or 6,000 men, presses upon Boyd at Pilot Knob, where we hold not half the force. I could not draw from any other source but Helena. General Schofield has most of the forces in the Southwest and daily asks for more. Did you direct or approve the building of four or five forts at Springfield? They require a great force to build and will require quite an army to hold them. It seems to me one or two would be better. One contains about 10 acres, but I have not the plans, and have not yet ascertained the location of forces in that quarter. General Blunt reported to General Schofield some days age and I trust the Kansas and Missouri troops will soon support each other, but I have no way of strengthening Boyd but by drawing from Helena, and hence the move of part of that force Delays are dangerous.

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General, Commanding.