HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF LITTLE ROCK,
Little Rock, Ark., September 2, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICE NINTH KANSAS CAVALRY,

In Camp at Huntersville:

SIR: By direction of the brigadier-general commanding you will break up your present camp and move the regiment to the south side of the river. The ground assigned for your camp is south and west of the penitentiary buildings, on the hill where stands a small brick house near the infantry pickets. Put the regiment north of that house and east of the earth-works toward the west in column of squadrons. A special sentinel must prevent the men from crossing or walking on the earth-works or using the trenches for sinks or other purposes. Five springs exist on the left of the road below the picket, and good stock water is found in the low land to the eastward. The picket you are keeping up on the Brownsville and other roads you will continue to fill until the return of the expedition under General West, provided the post commander of Huntersville has no other means of filling it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES F. DWIGHT,

Major and Chief of Staff.

U. S. S. VINDICATOR, September 2, 1864.

Major General N. J. T. DANA,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Vicksburg and vicinity:

GENERAL: Three deserters came into one of our gun-boats yesterday, belonging to the engineer regiment of the Trans-Mississippi forces. They had been stationed at Kirk's Ferry, on the Tensas River, where they had built a pontoon for the use of the troops about to cross the Mississippi. They represent that the orders for crossing had been countermanded; that a part of their pontoon train had been sent back to Alexandria; that all the troops had been ordered to assemble at Monroe. They understood the infantry were to operate in Arkansas, the cavalry to go to Missouri. This is important, if true, and looks like carrying the war back to its old boundaries and cutting off Steele. If you think it is necessary, will you inform General Steele? It may be also, assembling at Monroe, they intend to attack Milliken's Bend and Goodrich's Landing, and perhaps to cross the river above Vicksburg.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. O. SELFRIDGE,

Lieutenant-Commander, Commanding Fifth Div. Mississippi Squadron.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Memphis, Tenn., September 2, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Mil. Div. of West Mississippi, New Orleans, La.:

GENERAL: Advices from Devall's Bluff, under date the 25th ultimo,* represent that Shelby had cut the railroad between there and Little Rock, and captured 450 men who were guarding it. It was also reported that the enemy in force was about to cross the Arkansas River, while

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* See Part I, p. 281.

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