Numbers 4. Itinerary of the Third Brigade, Second Division, Seventh Army Corps, commanded by Colonel Washington F Geiger, Eighth Missouri Cavalry.*

The brigade marched out of camp at 12 m. [August 6] to join in a cavalry expedition under Brigadier-General West against the rebel forces in the vicinity of Jacksonport and Batesville, Ark. Marched twenty miles and encamped near Des Arc, Ark.

August 7.-At 4.30 p. m. resumed march, and encamped at Bull Creek, a distance of thirty miles, where the brigade joined General West's command.

August 8.-Marched twenty miles, to Searcy Landing, on Little Red River.

August 10.-Marched back four miles and encamped.

August 11.-Marched to White River and crossed, and immediately recrossed and encamped.

August 12.-Proceeded to Searcy Landing, twenty-five miles, and encamped.

August 13.-Marched twelve miles into Searcy Valley and encamped.

August 14.-Took up line of march for Devall's Bluff, where the brigade arrived on the 17th.

Numbers 5. Report of Brigadier General Joseph O. Shelby, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE FORCES,
August 13, 1864.

COLONEL: The days of delusive calm and quietude were rudely broken in upon twenty-four hours after I last dispatched you. Five thousand Federals, with ten pieces of artillery (all cavalry), came up from Devall's Bluff like a thunderbolt, and drove in my outlying pickets and scouts right sturdily. They hoped to surprise me and disperse my recruits, besides capturing my pontoon bridge and ordnance. One long day before they struck my immediate vedettes I had sent all my ineffective men fifteen miles to the rear, and watched and waited on the east side of Black River for the denouement. I intended to fight them if they came 10,000 strong, but before they reached my position they changed their minds. They divided at Searcy, one portion going by Grand Glaize to Augusta, where they crossed White River and burned the mill there, and the other portion halting near Grand Glaize. They remained in Augusta only a short time, but recrossed the river,losing 6 men and 30 horses, and have all gone back to Searcy. They had eighty wagons and many ambulances. Their reason for the heavy move I conjecture to be this: The pressure on the railroad was getting tighter and tighter, and it became necessary to relieve it.

My future movements depend entirely on the orders brought by Major Lawrence. Nothing new has transpired since my last letter. The Federals beyond the Mississippi are getting whipped in every fight. The news from missouri is glorious. This is God's chosen time for a raid there that will shake her from center to circumference. I send you a late paper. I reported that Erwin's operations on the Mississippi River

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*From monthly return.

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