LITTLE ROCK, July 12, 1864.

Colonel P. CLAYTON,

Pine Bluff:

General Carr has just sent you a dispatch. My opinion is that the rebels intended blockading White River or the Mississippi, one or both, but it would be prudent for you to erect travi to prevent your lines from being enfiladed near the river-bank. An earth-work for artillery (tete-de-pont) to protect your bridge would also be useful in case they should attack from the north side of the river. They could not cross and could only damage the town a little. I suggest that you send a reconnoitering party in the direction of Moticello to look after Price.

FREDK. STEELE,

Major-General.

LITTLE ROCK, July 12, 1864 - 11 a. m.

Colonel POWELL CLAYTON,

Commanding:

The scouting party that you sent out some days since down the river returned by way of Brownsville, and did not report from there, which they should have done. Please instruct your officers to report whenever they can when scouting.

By order of Brigadier General E. A. Carr:

C. H. DYER.

PINE BLUFF, ARK., July 12, 1864 - 4 p. m.

Captain C. H. DYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Little Rock:

The scouting party which I sent down the river returned by way of Brownsville, but did not go nearer to it than about eight miles.

POWELL CLAYTON,

Colonel, Commanding.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK., July 12, 1864.

Colonel P. CLAYTON,

Commanding Pine Bluff:

A Spy, who came in to-day and is considered reliable, reports Marmaduke on the north side of the river, near Price's Landing, with about 2,000 or 3,000 men, and Fagan on the south side with 5,000 or 6,000. He was in Marmaduke's camp on Sunday evening, the 10th instant, at which time the above was the state of affairs. he saw one small brass piece on the north side. He could see Fagan's camp on the south side from where he was on the north. Says the men were in fine spirits, and talked of taking Pine Bluff. Reports in camp were that they were waiting for Price's army, whose advance was said to be at Moticello. I should not be surprised if all these demonstration against Pine Bluff and our communications were for the purpose of covering a move across the Mississippi. The spy is not accustomed to estimating numbers of troops.

E. A. CARR,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.