HEADQUARTERS POST OF ELKHORN TAVERN,
November 17, 1862.

C. W. MARSH,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff, Springfield, Mo.:

Night before last a scout of our men under Captain Worthington and Lieutenant Willhite attacked a band of Ingraham's men (Home Guards) 30 miles southeast of here, dispersing them and taking a number of horses.

There is nothing in this immediate vicinity but scattered gangs of marauders. Several families, wives and children of Union men, came into camp this morning in a state of great destitution.

If a small surplus of rations can be furnished to me to meet such an exigency our success will be very much enhanced.

A. W. BISHOP,

Lieutenant Colonel First Arkansas Cav., Commanding at Elkhorn Tavern.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. CENTRAL DISTRICT OF MISSOURI, Numbers 37.
Jefferson City, November 17, 1862.

I. The sum of $15,000 is hereby levied upon the disloyal inhabitants of Jackson County, whereof the sum of $7,500 will be applied to subsist the Enrolled Militia whilst engaged in active service, and the remaining $7,500 is appropriated to the relief of the destitute families of the soldiers engaged in actual service and to relieve temporarily destitute refugees who have been driven from their homes by rebels or guerrillas.

II. Colonel William R. Penick, of the Fifth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, commanding at Independence, Mo., by order will provide for the assessment, levy, collection, and distribution of said sum of money assessed upon the disloyal inhabitants of Jackson County, by the appointment of commissioners and directing the means of enforcing this order in detail.

By order of Brigadier-General Loan:

JAMES RAINSFORD,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS, SAINT LOUIS, MO.,

November 18, 1862-11.45 p. m. (Received November 20.)

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

Have not ordered expedition to Batesville, but was massing my force to be ready for any advance which would co-operate with a move up White and Black Rivers from Helena. The rivers of Arkansas are rising and offering opportunity for such movements. I desire only to carry out your plans and put down rebels in my department. They are moving, and I must move to counteract them. General Blunt, near Cane Hill, Ark., is threatened, he thinks, with a large force, which is stated at 20,000. He says he is ready for them, but I have ordered troops toward him. I shall do what I can to support every point, but feel rogues and rebels are trying to embarrass me by false representations at headquarters.

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General, Commanding.