August 28.- Lieutenant S. A. M. George, Eighth Missouri State Militia Cavalry, was killed by guerrillas at Osage Springs, Ark.

During the month the district has been very little disturbed by roving bands, but the enemy has been operating on the southern and western borders of the district, keeping our forces on the alert. The Forty-sixth Missouri Infantry is being organized.

Numbers 2. Reports of Major Milton Burch, Eighth Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

NEOSHO, MO., August 5, 1864.

SIR: For the information of the general commanding I have the honor of reporting to you the operations of a scout sent out from this post on the evening of the 4th instant.

From information I received from sources in which I placed but little reliance I learned there was a rebel force, numbers not known, encamped on Cowskin River, in the neighborhood of Rutledge. I made application to Captain Lindsay, commanding at Granby, for all the effective force he could spare. I also made application to Captain Ritchey for all the available force he could spare. I received a communication from Lieutenant Wear, of Captain Ritchey's company, that the captain was absent, and they were expecting the mustering officer, and consequently could not furnish any men. I received thirty men from Granby from Companies L and M, Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia. I had thirty men detailed from Companies H and L, Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, and ordered Lieutenant Hunter, of Company H, Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, with instructions to proceed in the direction of Rutledge, McDonald County, Mo., to ascertain the facts of the enemy being in that portion of the country. I ordered him to proceed to Rutledge and proceed cautiously to ascertain the whereabouts of the force reported, and if he found a rebel force as large as reported to proceed with caution and reconnoiter their position, and as near as possible their number. he reached a point near Rutledge, nearer than the place reported. he found the enemy's pickets and drove them toward their camp, which he found evacuated; he then started slowly on their trail with William Haycock as guide. They had not proceeded but a short distance, and the enemy attacked his rear, when the action commenced with the rear, and the enemy then opened on both of his flanks, and he then commenced falling back, and a running fight commenced, which was kept up for four miles, when the enemy fell back, and he then proceeded to fall back tot his post, with the loss of 3 killed and 9 missing, 1 man wounded severely; but I think the missing will most of them come in. The loss of the enemy as far as known was 3 killed; the number of wounded not known. Their number, as far as my information reaches, is 250 or 300, Pickler, with probably Buck Brown's men, and their leader, Rector Johnson, formerly a citizen on this place. Since writing this I have received your communication to Colonel John D. Allen ordering me to make a scout in the direction the scout herein reported has made, and complied with the instruction in your communication to Colonel John D. Allen, dated August 4, 1864. I will call out all the available force belonging to the three stations and start back to see them again on the 7th instant, as according to instructions just received from your headquarters. A compliance of Special Orders, Numbers 206, for inspection of