On the 12th I arrived at a point on White River eighteen miles above Batesville, and having received information that Brigadier-General Shelby, with his command, was at Powhatan, about sixty-four miles northeast of Batesville and on the selected route to Missouri, I adopted the town of Pocahontas as the point of rendezvous, and directed Major-General Marmaduke, with his own command, his train, and that of headquarters, to march to that point direct, while I proceeded with my staff to Batesville and from thence to Powhatan, while Major-General Fagan, with his division, who had arrived at Batesville, marched to Powhatan on the left.

I arrived on the 13th of September and found Brigadier-General Shelby there with a portion of his command. The next day I reached Pocahontas, a distance of 356 miles from Camden, and there the remaining portion of Shelby's command reported, including the brigades of Jackman McCray, and Dobbin. In fine, the whole army was concentrated. The country over which I had passed was rugged and mountainous in the extreme, and had damaged the transportation to some extent; but it had already been or was on the point of being repaired and on the other hand, by adopting the routes marched over sufficient forage and subsistence had been obtained. The towns and villages through which I had passed had been robbed, pillaged, burned, or otherwise destroyed by the enemy, and were nearly deserted by the former inhabitants; in fact, the whole country presented but a scene of devastation.

Upon arriving at Pocahontas I immediately proceeded to organize the army, which was completed on the 18th, as follows: Fagan's division, commanded by Major General J. F. Fagan, was composed of Brigadier General W. L. Cabell's brigade, Colonel Slemons' brigade, Colonel McCray's brigade, Colonel Dobbin's brigade, Colonels Lyles' and Rogan's commands, and Captain Anderson's battalion. Marmaduke's division, commanded by Major General J. S. Marmaduke, was composed of Brigadier General John B. Clark, jr.'s, brigade, Colonel Freeman's brigade, Colonel Kitchen's regiment, and Lieutenant Colonel R. C. Wood's battalion. Shelby's division, commanded by Brigadier General J. O. Shelby, consisted of Colonel Shanks' brigade, Colonel Jackman's brigade, and Colonel Coleman's command.

Having determined to invade Missouri in three columns, Major-General Fagan, with his division, was ordered to march to Frederickstown, Mo., by the way of Martinsburg, Reeves' Station, and Greenville. Major-General Marmaduke, with his division, was ordered to march to the vicinity of Fredericktown, to the right of the route to be followed by Fagan's division, as above designated, varying from it from ten to thirty miles, or as nearly within those limits as might be practicable on account of roads and forage. Brigadier-General Shelby, with his command, was to march to the vicinity of Fredericktown by a route to the left of General Fagan's, varying from it from ten to twenty miles as nearly as practicable on account of roads and forage. The headquarters to march with the center column. At Fredericktown the three divisions were ordered to form a junction. A map of the route to be followed was furnished each of the division commanders. The most stringent orders were issued against straggling and pillaging under the severest penalties, and the division commanders earnestly enjoined to use their utmost endeavors to have the order carried into effect in every particular and without delay.

On the 19th of September the army marched in the order above designated, and on that day I entered Missouri with nearly 12,000 men, of whom 8,000 were armed, and fourteen pieces of artillery,and on the 24th day of September reached Fredericktown, Mo., with the center column,