HEADQUARTERS NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Mouth of White River, October 27, 1864.

Major General F. STEELE,

Commanding Department of Arkansas:

GENERAL: Yesterday at 5 p. m. I embarked a reconnoitering force of 200 mounted men, to land at Gaines' Landing, Point Chicot, and such of a gun-boat. Will communicate as soon as the expedition is heard from. Will send to-day another regiment of colored troops to Saint Charles and return the remaining one to Vicksburg. My troops have not yet returned from Memphis, but we are expecting them hourly. One brigade has got up to Paducah, Ky. Some women in from Arkansas yesterday, via Gaines' Landing, but they know nothing, or knowing will not tell. I will send them back to Arkansas. Cannot learn thus far that there is any rebel force near the Mississippi River. Slack's brigade mostly in to-day.

Very respectfully, &c.,

J. J. REYNOLDS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Vicksburg, Miss., October 27, 1864.

Major General J. J. REYNOLDS,

Commanding Nineteenth Army Corps, in the Field, on White River:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that I have a small cavalry expedition operating on either side of the Mississippi in vicinity of Ashton, and am this morning in receipt of the following from Colonel E. D. Osband, commanding, dated Shipwith's Landing, 25th instant:

I have the honor to report a small skirmish and one rebel mortally wounded. He states that all troops were ordered out of here to-morrow to concentrate at Oxford, Miss., to participate in a combined attack on Memphis.

I have forwarded a copy of the report to Major-General Washburn, commanding at Memphis.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. J. T. DANA,

Major-General.

GAINES' LANDING, October 27, 1864.

[General J. J. REYNOLDS:]

GENERAL: I have landed here and will start soon on a scout in the country; will go to Bayou Mason if I can. From a man by name of Parkman I am told that Kirby Smith and Magruder met at Washington a few days ago, and that they, with a large force, will advance on Pine Bluff and Little Rock on Monday next; he says he knows this to be true. A negro who says that he left Camden on Monday last tells me that there was a large force of troops on the other side of the Washita River near Camden. Parkman says that Parsons' headquarters are nine miles beyond Monticello; that he is placed there as a guard for this country; has a battery of six pieces and one brigade.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN M. CREBS,

Lieutenant-Colonel Eighty-seventh Illinois Mounted Infantry.