BATON ROUGE, September 9, 1864. (Received 12.30 p.m.)

Major-General CANBY:

General Dick Taylor and staff crossed the river on Saturday last; was at Clinton the following day. He has assumed command of the department, vice General Maury, relieved. Has headquarters at Meridian. Brigadier-General Hodge commands the district back of here in place of Colonel Scott, relieved. The rebels admit very heavy losses at Atlanta, but do not give particulars. A rumor is current outside of the lines that Petersburg has shared the fate of Atlanta.

Respectfully,

F. J. HERRON,

Major-General.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK., September 9, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY:

The rebel cavalry, or at least three brigades of them, have crossed at Dardanelle. Price and Fagan are both present with this command. Cabell's brigade and some dismounted men were sent to attack Lewisburg. A scouting party under Lieutenant-Colonel Fuller, of the Third Arkansas Cavalry, fell in with them and had a skirmish. All the public property at Lewisburg was sent this side of the Cadron three days ago, and the garrison is now falling back on this place, it being impracticable to keep sufficient force there to resist Price & Co. Shelby is near Batesville. He yesterday sent a flag of truce to our outpost at Austin with some wounded officers of ours whom he said needed care and treatment which he could not possibly give them. He informed me that he had paroled 453 officers and men of ours and sent them to Missouri under escort. He has tried to get me to agree to parole prisoners, but I have not sanctioned it, except in cases of wounded officers and men who would probably have lost their lives if it had not been done. I have no doubt but that Price intended to come on to the line of railroad in the rear of this place. When he hears of our re-enforcements I do not know what course he will take. He has about ten days' rations, and I presume has laid his pontoon at Dardanelle. He may get Shelby and go south. They always run out of our way when we pursue them with anything like an equal force. I shall pursue them whichever way they go, and may perhaps develop Kirby Smith's plans.

F. STEELE,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

Send copy to General Rosecrans and say that General Steele has been re-enforced and will be able to follow up if they should attempt to invade Missouri.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. FIRST DIV., 7TH ARMY CORPS, No. 37. Little Rock, Ark., September 9, 1864.

Brigadier General C. Bussey having received a leave of absence, the undersigned hereby assumes command of the First Division, Seventh Army Corps, by virtue of seniority.

ADOLPH ENGELMANN,

Colonel Forty-third Illinois Infantry, Commanding Division.