MILWAUKEE, August 22, 1864.

Major-General ROSECRANS,

Saint Louis:

Six companies First U. S. Volunteers will arrive opposite Saint Louis this morning by the Saint Louis and Chicago Railroad. They are destined for the Upper Missouri River. Will you please direct an officer to meet them and quarter them at Camp Benton for a few days until transportation up river can be provided. I would have had an officer to meet them, but was not notified of their arrival.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE MISSOURI, ENGINEER'S OFFICE,
Saint Louis, August 22, 1864.

Colonel O. D. GREENE,

Asst. Adjt. General and Chief of Staff, Dept. of the Missouri:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose a copy of the report of Captain Gerster, in regard to the post of Pilot Knob, for the information of the major-general commanding the department. I have but little to add, as the report expresses very near my opinion. I reported at the time to Brigadier-General Ewing the fact and was opposed to the construction of any additional work, at least on the mentioned hill. I reported the fact also Major-General Pleasonton, who was of the opinion that nothing should be done. Lieutenant Stickney, U. S. Engineers, received orders and special instructions and commenced the work. A recent report from the officer left in charge of the work to Lieutenant Stickney states that nothing had been done for want of fatigue parties since Lieutenant Stickney had left Pilot Knob. The defenses of Pilot Knob are not in Pilot Knob itself; they are on three points in a circle around the place - First, two miles south in Arcadia; second, one mile and a half east on the Farmington road; third, one mile and a half west on the Caledonia road. This arrangements would scatter a small force too much, and to concentrate the forces Fort Davidson, in the Pilot Knob Valley, had been constructed only against a sudden raid. The place can be held with the present defenses, and more so when the proposals of Captain Gerster are carried out, until re-enforcements arrive.

I have the honor to be, colonel, your obedient servant,

WM. HOELCKE,

Captain and Addl. Aide-de-Camp, Chief Engineer Dept. of the Mo.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., August 20, 1864.

Captain WILLIAM HOELCKE,

Chief of Engineers, Department of the Missouri:

In compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 227, Department of the Missouri, I proceeded at once to Pilot Knob, Mo., and examined the powder magazine in Fort Davidson. I found the powder magazine in pretty good order, but to prevent any dampness for the future it will be well to raise the floor about twelve inches to get room enough for the air to circulate, and also to lead off all water that may settle below the floor. In constructing a drainage from the bottom of the powder magazine, through the parapet into the ditch, with secure to the powder magazine permanent safety. According to your verbal instructions in regard to