portion of the infantry will be deployed as skirmishers, sweeping all the timbered country. Brigade commanders will avail themselves of the services of citizens and militia whenever they can be found. Each brigade commander will keep a diary of his march. All troops must reach the Missouri River at the points indicated by Friday, 4th proximo. Commanding officers of columns will treat the inhabitants with justice and humanity, giving receipts for all forage taken. The intent of this movement is to thoroughly clean the country of bushwhackers, who are to be treated as outlaws. All Confederate soldiers, whether stragglers or not, clothed in our uniform, will be treated in the same manner. Men pretending to be Price's conscripts will be arrested and sent to provost-marshal-general at Saint Louis. On reaching the Missouri River means of crossing will be supplied at [sic]. After crossing the whole division will march, via Fayette, Columbia, Williamsburg, and Danville, and thence by the most direct route to the vicinity of Saint Charles, mo. Except orders at Warrenton, Mo., designating the points at which you will embark. Requisitions for everything needed for the command for another campaign in the field will be sent at once to these headquarters, so that they can be filled in time to reach the troops at Saint Charles. An official list of absentees in the Department of Missouri, with the place at which they now are, will be sent to these headquarters as soon as practicable. All surplus ammunition will be sent to Saint Louis, via Jefferson City, to be loaded on transports, there. All wagons belonging to the Department of the Missouri not required for this movement will be sent to Jefferson City, and all other wagons belonging to this department will be turned over at Saint Charles, Mo.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. HOUGH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WARRENSBURG, MO., October 31, 1864.

Brigadier-General SANBORN,

Springfield:

Dispatch received. It was my intention that you and McNeil should follow the retreating column of the enemy, giving it no rest until it was brought within the grasp of Steele's troops at Fort Smith. Make now the most judicious dispositions you can to insure the complete expulsion of Price from the State, and, of possible, from Arkansas. To this end you may have to move to Cassville, and probably lower. Make thorough work. you have 1,200 fresh troops. General McNeil's forces will be available to move with you, to whom show this. you will both accept my thanks for your soldierly energy hitherto displayed.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., October 31, 1864.

Major-General ROSECRANS,

Warrensburg:

GENERAL: The enemy did enter Cassville, and my information is that General Price's army has moved rapidly south, and I feel satisfied is beyond our reach. A march of all our forces to the river will