side of the Mississippi, including all bushwhackers and partisan rangers, and that the army of General Price numbered about 20,000 men. General Price had his headquarters at Shreveport, and was understood to be at that place when the party left on the 6th instant. General Bryan, with one division of Price's army, was stationed at Shawneetown; Fagan was at Shreveport with his division, and Shelby with his old troops was at Camden, Washington, &c., and claimed to have 1,500 men on this side of the Arkansas. Kirby Smith, with Magruder's command and a large number of other troops, had moved quite a long distance into Texas; where, was not accurately ascertained. None of the commanders or troops seemed to be under any apprehension of any attack or advance by Federal troops. The troops were well supplied with meat and meal, but with nothing else. All who did not have Federal uniforms were very poorly clad. There was no forage in Arkansas, but it was represented as being abundant in Texas and south of Red River. The stock that the army had in Missouri on the raid was represented to be used up and much of it dead. The officers said that the Missouri raid used up both horses and men. There was a great deal of sickness in camp. Small-pox prevailed everywhere. I saw nearly all the leaders of bushwhacking bands from Missouri. All stated that they should come back early in the spring, and that there would be more bushwhackers in the State this coming season than ever before. General Bryan states this, and Major Piercey, who had 400 bushwhackers on the border all last year, told me that he should start up in forty or sixty days with 400 men, and remain all summer. I met two bands on the way up as I went down, about fifty miles below the Arkansas River. One was composed of fifty men, commanded by Lieutenant Inks, the other by Captain Troren, with about twenty men. I met two of Inks' men below Fayetteville as I came back, and they told me that the First Arkansas had killed two of the men since they got up. General Bryan said that they should make a raid into Missouri again in the fall, if they did not in the spring. All represented that arms and equipments were abundant, but said they were very short of ammunition and could not get it without great difficulty.

This scout is perfectly reliable and as the entire confidence of all the leading bushwhackers that ever infested this State. There is no doubt that all these old bands now intend to come back and bring with them more force then they have ever before had. I have had some fighting in Jasper County and on the North Fork of White River, and will send one report at once.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

MACON, MO., February 24, 1865.

Colonel A. F. DENNY,

Huntsville, Mo.:

Colonel Kutzner advised me that Jackson killed one man and robbed another at Switzler's Mill to-day at 12 o'clock. He also hung two negroes. He reports the force at seven instead of seventeen. Can't Mayo send some men after them?

W. T. CLARKE,

First Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp, &c.