There are some fifty families of Newton and Jasper Counties who are now in Kansas, near Fort Scott, who would come back if the commanding general would give them some encouragement to come back to their homes.

I am, with much respect, your most obedient servant,

MILTON BURCH,

Captain Commanding Detach, Eighth Cavalry, Mo. State Militia.

Lieutenant W. D. HUBBARD,

Act. Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. Southwest Mo.

JANUARY 23-27, 1864.-Scout from Patterson, Mo., to Cherokee Bay, Ark.

Report of Captain William T. Leeper, Third Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

PATTERSON, January 27, 1864.

SIR: Captain Johns has returned all safe. He has marched near 300 miles; been all over the Cherokee Bay. The captain and the swamp scouts found no force only Reves and 20 men. He killed 4 of Reves' men, and chased Reves for miles, and run him into the river. Captain Johns learned that a fight had taken place at Batersville, rebels commanded by Colonel Shaver, and that they were badly whipped and Colonel Shaver was killed, and that Jacksonport was evacuated by our forces, and that General McRae had taken possession of it. This was a bold dash for 24 men.

W. T. LEEPER,

Commanding Post.

Colonel WOODSON,

Commanding Post at Pilot Knob, Mo.

JANUARY 26, 1864.-Affair in the San Andres Mountains, N. Mex.

Abstract from Record of Events on return of the Department of New Mexico for January, 1864.

January 26.-Lieutenant Thomas A. Young, Fifth California Volunteer Infantry, with a detachment of 12 men, left Fort Craig, N. Mex., in pursuit of a party of Indians who has run off some stock belonging to the post. He overtook the Indians in the San Andres Mountains, and was attacked by them during the night. In the morning the lieutenant was compelled to retreat, owing to the great number of Indians against him. The following is the result of the scout: Four men of the command wounded; Indiana loss, 7 killed and several wounded.

JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 3, 1864.-Expedition from Batesville to near Searcy Landing, Ark.

Report of Captain Albert B. Kauffman, Eleventh Missouri Cavalry.

BATESVILLE, ARK., February 5, 1864.

SIR: In accordance with instructions from headquarters District of Northeastern Arkansas, I left Batesville with a detachment of