HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Providence, Mo., October 12, 1864 - 9 p. m.

Honorable JAMES S. ROLLINS, Columbia, Mo.:

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your dispatches of this date, and in reply thereto have to say that it is impracticable for me to send additional force to Columbia. The troops at this point are here under orders to move at a moment's notice. I would gladly re-enforce your post if it were in my power. I had not the least idea twenty days since that I would be ordered to concentrate my troops from different sections of the district and march them to Jefferson City to aid in the preservation of the State capital from occupancy by the invaders under Price, and it was great reluctance that I withdrew from the north side of the river nearly all my effective mounted force, and after the defeat of Price at Jefferson City the force was retained on the south side temporarily to pursue the enemy. I needed re-enforcements at the time my troops were ordered to Jefferson City. I cannot believe that Price would be permitted to march leisurely for twenty-five days within the borders of our State, and then sit down at Boonville and deploy his rebel horde on the river counties of my district. Alas, it is a melancholy fact; and the army that ought to have met and mashed his column of Southeast Missouri is fully four days behind time at this writing. I secure no one, but it seems to me that somebody is to blame. If it be true that so large a force has crossed from Boonville into Howard County, and I fear it is, all small detachments of troops at posts like Columbus will necessarily have to be concentrated for the offensive or be subject to capture in detail. The rebels are short of arms. Price can get plenty of recruits and conscripts of he can arm them, and Anderson has probably been returned to North Missouri under the instructions he professes to have. Towns will be plundered and small detachments of troops captured and disarmed. If I obtain information from my scouts that Clarks' force is on this side I will be compelled to withdraw the troops from Columbia and other like points, as it is of course impossible to garrison every county town with an army sufficient to beat back the rebel force that is threatening us. I order out a large force of militia more than ten days since; I have been unable to learn how rapidly they are concentrating. General Douglass left Jefferson City for Mexico on the 8th instant, to give the organization of troops his personal attention. I have been pleased to learn of your prompt and decided action in the preparation for the defense of your town, and thank you for your pledges of co-operation with myself in the good work of driving out the invaders and exterminating the fiends who are bringing desolation, awe, and death upon the beautiful homes of Boone. I shall be glad to hear from you again to-morrow of practicable. I now under orders from Major-General Pleasonton and must use the force in hand elsewhere.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CLINTON B. FISK,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Providence, Mo., October 12, 1864.

Captain GEORGE W. CAREY, Columbia, Mo.:

I am in receipt of your dispatched of this date. I have no cavalry force at this point, and, indeed, none of the troops here can be ordered to Columbia, as they are all under marching orders to another point. You