except Dobbin's and Marmaduke's, are likely to advance this fall if they can subsist, and this they can do in roasting-ear time. I think that ordinary prudence requires that one more battery should be stationed at Springfield for sixty days, until the last of October. Everything is quiet in the district, with the exception of the Hartville affair.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPRINGFIELD, MO., August 20, 1864.

The force on Cowskin Prairie proved to be three squadrons of Adair's regiment, of Stand Watie's command, added to the bushwhackers. It has been driven from that section with a loss of 1 officer and 4 men killed and gone to some point in the vicinity of Fort Smith. The force that came near Hartville was Tracy's command and was immediately driven back south, with a loss of 1 killed and 3 wounded. Bands of from fifteen to thirty-five men (rebels) are nightly passing south in unfrequented paths. Citizens and soldiers pursuing have captured some horses, but as yet none of the men. They commit no depredations more than to steal a horse now and then. Nearly all the recruits and poorly armed men of General Shelby's command were at or within one day's march of Batesville (north) last Sunday. Shelby failed to re-enforce Dobbin in season to enable him to hold his position and Dobbin retreated, losing 17 men killed and some prisoners and horses. Dobbin received some 3,000 stand of arms across the Mississippi River below Helena some two or three weeks since, with which the recruits in Northern Arkansas are being armed. He also received ammunition. Some of his line officers say that Little Rock is to be taken before any effort is made to advance into Missouri; others that he is to advance anyway and before long. I think his plans and designs will develop within the next two or three weeks. The enemy's movements known here now would seem to indicate an attack upon Little Rock or our lines of communications to it. Everything is quiet in the district.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Commanding District.

Major O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

AUGUST 11-13, 1864.-Expedition from Helena to Kent's Landing, Ark.

Report of Captain Eli Ramsey, Sixtieth U. S. Colored Troops.

HELENA, ARK., August 14, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report the progress and result of a scout under my command, composed of four commissioned officer and seventy-five men of the Sixtieth U. S. Colored Infantry and six men from Battery C, Second U. S. Colored Light Artillery. Embarked on board steamer H. A. Homeyer at 5.30 p. m. 11th instant; arrived at Kent's Landing at 10.30 p. m. Leaving ten men under charge of a Lieutenant to guard the boat, I proceeded with my command to the plantation

16 R R-VOL XLI, PT I