country. Captain Lair's company will come up as fast as they can be gathered. I have here 400 stand of arms for Saint Joseph. Have you any directions to give about them?

J. T. K. HAYWARD,

Colonel.

SAINT JOSEPH, July 27, 1864.

Colonel J. T. K. HAYWARD, Hannibal:

Your dispositions are approved. Can't you send me the arms for Saint Joseph under guard to Macon? I have guards from there. I hope Colonel Kutzner will push the organization of his regiment. We must lose no time.

CLINTON B. FISK,

Brigadier-General.

MACON, July 27, 1864.

General FISK:

I send with the next train forty men to the Chariton bridge and twenty to the Carbon bridge, on the Hannibal road. There is a bridge two miles from town, on the Saint Joseph road, I think I have to guard also. Last night I had my men in line of battle. Our forces are now reduced to seventy-five men fit for duty, hardly enough to defend the town. The militia have no arms. I hope Colonel Eberman will bring them up to-day from Saint Louis. I have also twenty-five men in Huntsville, helping Lieutenant McKinsey in raising a company. Your adjutant-general complains of my returns not being sent in regularly. The sergeant-major tells me that he has sent them in time. My energies have been a little overtaxed of late, as I was the only officer for the regiment, post, two companies, the militia, and scouting business.

A. BRACKMAN.

MACON, July 27, 1864.

General FISK:

I received a dispatch from Captain Fowkes, of the Enrolled Missouri Militia, from Hunnewell, stating there were thirty-five rebels within seven miles north of that place and forty within twelve miles south of it. He says he has only seventy-five men, thirty-five of whom had no side arms. He asks for re-enforcement; so does Captain Stanley, of the Enrolled Missouri Militia, at Keytesville. He sent me word by special messenger that he had sent out a scout of fifty-five men after forty-six of Holtzclaw's and Anderson's men, and that he came up with them near the Union brick church in Fork Chariton. They took in the bush, dividing up in small squads. Captain Stanley followed them until he perceived it was their object to draw him into ambush. He learned at the same time that they had united with another gang consisting of sixty-one under Captain Jackson. He then withdrew to Keytesville. He says he cannot follow them to any advantage unless re-enforced. He wants from 150 to 200 men. I shall furnish the escort for the arms according to their numbers.

A. BRACKMAN,

Captain, &c.