SAINT LOUIS, MO., March 8, 1865-10. 20 a. m.

Major-General DODGE:

Can you come up this morning and see General Sully and myself about operations on the plains in the spring?

JOHN POPE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
March 8, 1865-10. 45 a. m.

Major-General POPE:

I will be up pretty soon.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., March 8, 1865.

Captain J. McC. BELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Military Division of the Missouri:

CAPTAIN: The following information derived from reports of scouts and from Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes, Twelfth Kansas Infantry, who has been a prisoner of war at Camden, Shreveport, Magnolia, and other points in Southwest since April last on parole, is submitted for the information of the major-general commanding the Military Division of the Missouri: Two weeks ago the enemy's forces were holding a line from Washington to Camden, thence down the Washita to near Alexandria, thence south. Their forces were posted as follows: At Alexandria, Buckner with his division; at Grand Ecore, a small force at work on intrenchments; at Minden, twenty-five miles east of Shreveport, Churchill's division, 9,000 strong; Marmaduke's old division, Cabell's and Slemons' brigades, watching the Washita; Shelby's division in Northeast Texas, headquarters at Clarksville; Walker's division, now commanded by Forney, at Shreveport, where Kirby Smith's headquarters are. Magruder commands in Arkansas. He has a small force posted att Washington and at Camden (now said to be withdrawn), also a force at Boggy Depot. At Shreveport there are two iron-clads and on the Red River fifteen transports. Their troops, except the old Missouri veterans, are poorly armed, badly equipped, and in a very poor state of discipline. All guerillas and conscripts taken out by Price were dismounted and placed in the infantry. Many are deserting and most of the guerrilla bands are working back into Missouri. The troops fear a campaign against them this spring, either up the Red River or by way of Arkansas, and most of the troops are so disposed as to meet such an advance.

Price's raid is considered a disaster, and there is no talk now of another, except in case no campaign is made by us against them. They look for a movement against them and hold that they can concentrate 40,000 men against us, but admit that if one is made in force they will have to fall back into Texas. There is no doubt that a large number of guerrillas and constripts are preparing too come back into Missouri so soon as leads come, and that they believe Canby or Reynolds are about making another campaign against them. Orders from Richmond have reached there too transfer those troops to the east side of the Mississippi river. Many of the officers are in favor of it, but the soldiers, especially those from Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, will