Cavalry, prepared, with forty rounds of ammunition per man and five days' rations of sugar, coffee, salt, and hard bread in haversacks, to march at daybreak to-morrow morning. General West goes out with an expedition, and the commanding officer of your detachment of cavalry will report to him at the north end of the pontoon bridge at daybreak with the command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES F. DWIGHT,

Major and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF LITTLE ROCK,
Little Rock, Ark., August 26, 1864.

Colonel CLAYTON:

You must keep close watch of the telegraph line at your end. Your troops must not be occupied in guarding plantations when it interferes in the slightest degree with their other duties on their comfort. I am sending trains to the neighborhood of Clear Lake for forage. Watch them if any force is coming up the river on the north side. Reconnaissance toward Princeton has not gone much farther than Benton; found cavalry in Benton, and report that Crawford's brigade had been there two hours before. Will stay there a day or two longer and push forward as far as possible. It is a god time for you to make a reconnaissance to the Saline. Rebels seem to be moving somewhere. The One hundred and sixth and One hundred and twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry will embark to-night for your post unless something happens to prevent.

E. A. CARR,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK., August 26, 1864.

Colonel P. CLAYTON,

Pine Bluff:

Do you know anything about a famous pontoon bridge the rebels are said to have carried to the Arkansas on wagons? They say this bridge was to have been put down near Monroe's plantation.

F. STEELE,

Major-General.

PINE BLUFF, ARK., August 26, 1864.

Major-General STEELE:

If the enemy have had any bridge across the Arkansas below this point it must have been as low down as Red Fork. I am satisfied that the report of a bridge below this point is incorrect. If the enemy had a bridge as reported, why is it that Marmaduke and Cabell's commands did not cross upon it? It is certain that they have left the Arkansas River and are now in the vicinity of Marks' Mills unless they have left within the past two days. I will send 100 men down on the opposite side, to-morrow, as far as Arkansas Post, so that our information will be positive.

POWELL CLAYTON,

Colonel, Commanding.