No Indiana regiments ready. Those from Illinois soonest available for you and ought to be on hand. Glad to hear of Bruce's success. I send dispatch in cipher to Buell, which please forward at once.

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, October 19, 1862.

Colonel JONATHAN CRANOR,

Fortieth Ohio Vols., Commanding, &c., Guyandotte, Va.:

COLONEL: Information has been received which is deemed reliable that the rebels are in possession of the portion of Northeast Kentucky embracing the counties of Greenup, Carter, Lawrence, and others to the southward as far as Pike, and are committing depredations upon the property and outrages upon the persons of loyal citizens which call for prompt repression.

The forces alluded to - mostly guerrillas - are not understood to be large, not exceeding 500 or 600 at most. Another force of about the same strength, said to belong to Floyd's command, is reported to be at the salt-works on the Big. Sandy River above Louisa.

With the force you have it is believed you can operate on both sides of the Big Sandy River. In Western Virginia your operations will be conducted under instructions form the general commanding the district. On the Kentucky side of the river your object will be to give protection to the loyal citizens and to clear the country of the rebel forces. The positions to be occupied and the movements to be executed to these ends depend so entirely on the localities and movements of the rebels the that no definite instructions can be given, and they are therefore left to your discretion. Your knowledge of that portion of Kentucky will no doubt enable you to determine readily what is to be done.

At Catlettsburg the Thirty-ninth Kentucky Volunteers are in process of organization, and the regiment, having now several hundred men enrolled, can, it is understood, be rapidly filled up as son as a force adequate to the protection of the country is afforced.

From this regiment and from the Home Guards of the various counties you will be able to draw much assistance; and if needed the One hundred and seventeenth Ohio Volunteers, now forming at Portsmouth, will be added to your command as soon as it is ready for the field.

The operations in Kentucky above indicated should be undertaken without delay with such portion of your force as can be spared from Western Virginia.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES FORCES,
Mount Vernon, Ky., October 20, 1862 - 3 p. m.

Captain DARR or KNIFFIN,

Commissary of Subsistence, Lebanon:

General Crittenden's army corps is out of rations. Send at once three