mands here. Can I order them here, or part of them? The wounded there belonging to Blunt's command are about to be sent to Fort Scott. Our own sick from there will be here to-night. Colonel King, Thirteenth [Missouri] Cavalry, is here under orders to go to Rolla with his men. He wishes an order directing him to go by Sedalia or Warsaw on account of forage. I don't see that I can dictate to him in that matter at all, and declined to interfere, but he wishes me to mention it to you. No news from any quarter. Application is made for an indorsement in your name upon a writ for the arrest of an officer here, charged with assault and battery, giving your consent to the arrest. There is no allegation in the writ that he is in service, he being simply mentioned as lieutenant. Can I regard these defects? General order 63, Department of the Missouri, of 1863, requires commanding officers to give their assent in all ordinary cases.

WM. T. KITTREDGE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS INDIAN BRIGADE,
Fort Gibson, C. N., November 11, 1864.

Major-General CURTIS,

In the Field:

SIR: I have the honor to state that a prisoner, who was taken by the enemy at the time they attacked the refugee train en route to Kansas a few days since, escaped from them on Cowskin Prairie on Saturday night last, and has just arrived at this place. He says they have two herds of mules with them and a large number of women and children, and intended to start south on Monday last, and thought they would reach the Arkansas in five days from the time they started. They intended to cross the Fort Scott road just above Cabin Creek. They are white men and number 150. I shall send Major Foreman with 300 men up the Arkansas River to a point forty miles above here. I would like very much to have you send a portion of your men between the Verdigris and Grand Rivers on a scout, and in case they see signs of them to have a dispatch sent back to me. I think I can recapture the mules, as they must have been delayed by the bad weather.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

STEPHEN H. WATTLES,

Colonel, Commanding.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, STATE OF IOWA,

Des Moines, November 11, 1864.

Major General JOHN POPE:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 2nd instant, inclosing copy of report made to you by Brigadier-General Smith from Keokuk, is before me. Since writing to you on the 1st instant I have examined more fully into the condition of things on our southern border, and find that while the danger of any formidable raids into this State is somewhat remote, we are quite subject to the incursions of mounted marauders from Missouri, who, by dashing into the State at points which are unguarded, are enabled to penetrate some distance, doing much damage to our people, and return with impunity. A militia, however well organized