5. Captain McCullah, commanding Company H, Sixth Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia, Marionville, Mo., will immediately upon receipt of this order send all the available force of his company, with the exception of fifteen men, to Neosho, with six days' rations and at least forty rounds of ammunition to each man, to report to Major Burch commanding, for duty in the field.

6. Colonel J. J. Gravely, commanding Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, will at once send Captain W. C. Human, Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, with 100 enlisted men of the Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, properly officered and supplied with six days' rations and sixty rounds of ammunition each, to Neosho, Mo., to report to Major Burch, commanding, for duty in the field.

7. Colonel J. J. Gravely, Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, will immediately proceed to Neosho, Mo., and assume command of all troops now at that post and that have been directed in orders of this date from these headquarters to report to Major Burch, Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, commanding that post, for duty in the field. Upon assuming command at Neosho, Colonel Gravely will immediately comply with the written instructions transmitted this day from these headquarters to Major Burch.

By order of Brigadier-General Sanborn:

W. D. HUBBARD,

First Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., August 10, 1864.

Major BURCH,

Commanding at Neosho:

Mr. Fitzgerald has arrived here to-night and informs me that you found the force on Cowskin too strong to attack with 150 men. I therefore send forward to you 100 men of the Eighth, and have ordered the commanding officers at Mount Vernon, Newtonia, and granby to send you all their available force except twenty men at each post. You are also at liberty to call upon the commanding officer at Carthage for fifty men. This should give you a force of upward of 400 men. With this force I desire you to attack the enemy with the utmost vigor and whip him, if possible. In making this movement you will move so as to cover your posts and not let the enemy reach them before you can. Do not reduce the force at Carthage unless you consider it absolutely necessary, and in attacking the enemy take advantage of position, if possible. As soon as you have made this movement, send the troops to their respective posts. There will be a movement from Fayetteville toward this position in a few days.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., August 10, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel CAMERON,

Commanding, Cassville, Mo.:

From my former experience I have no doubt that any force I send to Fort Smith will be delayed there at least for so long a time as they would refuse to furnish an escort. I am informed that the road from