At daylight on the morning of the 27th, in the midst of a heavy rain, I pushed straight for the railroad and struck it where the Farmington and Potosi road crosses the Iron Mountain Railroad. A train of four cars loaded with Federals was rushing by as my advance came upon the track, and they poured a deadly fire into the cars at ten paces. The track was here torn up a for five miles, the ties and iron burned, and the telegraph destroyed completely. Big Creek brigade, a splendid structure, was carried at the charge by the gallant Colonel Elliott and burned to the water. Then his same column swept on to Irondale, tearing up the track for miles and scattering the Federal garrison there. Another scout ran into a train of wagons, captured 25, 2 caissons, 20 artillery horses with harness, 100 negroes, and 30 prisoners, besides killing and wounding a large portion of the guard. Colonel Gordon with two regiments dashed into Mineral Point, a town where the Potosi branch and the Iron Mountain Railroad come together. Fifteen hundred Federals with two pieces of artillery were there, but Gordon drove them out, tore up the track, burned two large bridges (on over Mill Creek), besides burning the depot and two cars there and getting large quantities of goods. After destroying the Iron Mountain Railroad for several miles, I pushed on with my entire column for Potosi, where 175 Federals had taken refuge in the court-house-a very strong building. Five or six shots from my two pieces of artillery caused them to surrender, and 175 fine Enfield rifles, the same number of cartridge-boxes and belts, and much valuable ammunition were gained. The depot was burned, with three cars. My loss in the day's fighting will not be over 10. The Federal loss in killed and wounded I can safely put down at 100. From Potosi I marched to Caledonia, where I was ordered to report to Major General J. S. Marmaduke.

JO. O. SHELBY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS SHELBY'S DIVISION,

Numbers 8.
Camp Numbers 12, October 2, 1864.

* * * * * * *

II. Colonel John T. Coffee, Jackman's brigade, is hereby relieved from duty with Jackman's brigade, and will report with his regiment to Major-General Price at once.

By command of Brigadier General Joseph O. Shelby:

P. R. CARRINGTON,

Captain and Assistant Inspector-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, October 3, 1864.

Major-General MAGRUDER,

Commanding, &c., Monticello, Ark.:

GENERAL: I have just received your letter of the 29th from Monticello. If the estimate made there of the enemy's force in Arkansas is at all accurate the disposition of your troops should properly be made for the defensive. That suggested by yourself is, in the main, the best that can be adopted, and is similar to that made by General Holmes previous to the opening of the spring campaign. The infantry should be disposed in part at Camden, where it can be subsisted. Louisville and Spring Hill are both good points, near Red River, from which a concentration could quickly be made in front of Washington or at