HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
Camden, September 18, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER AT ARKADELPHIA:

SIR: I am instructed by Major-General Magruder to say that if you receive information of a raid on Washington you will fall back with your command on that place if you can get there in time; if not, you will proceed directly to Fulton and defend that place. If you learn of a raid on Camden you will fall back to Camden and defend this place. If the enemy's force should be so great as to render the defense of those places impossible the stores will be burnt.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. P. TURNER,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS.

Camden, September 18, 1864.

Colonel R. C. NEWTON,
Commanding State Troops, Washington, Ark.:

COLONEL; I am instructed by the commanding general to say that you will concentrate the State troops at Arkadelphia and send such portion as you may think best to Rockport, with instructions to be extremely vigilant to observe the movements of the enemy, and to report without delay any information of an advance or a raid in whatever quarter it may be.

I am, colonel very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. P. TURNER.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[SEPTEMBER 19, 1864. - For Price to Anderson, reporting entrance of army into Missouri, &c., see Part I, p. 623.]

HEADQUARTERS SHELBY'S DIVISION,

Doniphan, Mo., September 19, 1864

Colonel L. A. MACLEAN:

I arrived here with my command at 3.30 o'clock this evening, and am encamped in and around the place. A Federal scout about 100 strong came into town this morning at 10 o'clock, burnt it, and left again rapidly. They were supposed to be either from Ironton or Patterson, and had no intimation of our approach, so the citizens say. Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson with forty men fought them long enough this morning to prevent them from burning the mill one mile below the town. I will send 150 men, under Johnston, to surprise and attack them at daylight in the morning, believing they will encamp at Ponder's Mill to-night. Although this mill is directly on your road, yet the distance from where you will encamp to-night will be too great for you to reach them, and, therefore, I have taken the liberty to send after them. Am I right or not? Johnson has recruited 100 Missourians in the last week, and I have ordered him with his men to report to his regiment. I send him

60 R R-VOL XLI, PT III