timber of the Blue, and the other under the immediate command of Colonel Moonlight, to scour the Grand River timber, the two to meet at the Sni Hills this evening (17th). Colonel Moonlight was to reach Pleasant Hill last night (16th) and confer with colonel Ford, Second Colorado Volunteers, commanding sub-division of the adjoining district in Missouri, and make arrangements for co-operation. Colonel Moonlight had not been able previously to communicate directly with Colonel Ford,and I had refrained from communicating with General Brown, commanding the district in Missouri, lest rebel experts should tap the telegraph and get information of our intended movements, and concluded to leave the arrangements for co-operation, under authority of General Rosecrans' instructions to General Brown, to the immediate commanders in the field. General Brown will probably feel hurt until he hears the explanation. To replace in some degree the companies from their stations along the line, the proper officers of the militia were requested to call into active service details from the several regiments along the border, arrangements having previously been made with these officers, under authority from the Governor, for action in case of such emergency, and 300 men of each regiment notified in advance to meet any such call. Although it is a very busy time with farmers, the call was promptly responded to in most cases. In Linn County, however, owing to some misunderstanding in regard to the organization of the regiment, or some other cause not yet fully understood by me, the number desired did not turn out, but as I only expected to employ these men at present to watch the country in the absence of our troops, I can probably arrange to do so without the order company that I desired in that county until the return of the expedition, unless we are pressed by parties of the enemy yet moving up from below. There are parties of them moving up north, as reports from Colonel Blair show.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. J. McKEAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District.

Major General S. R. CURTIS,

Commanding Dept. of Kansas, Fort Leavenworth.

Numbers 3. Report of Colonel Thomas Moonlight, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, commanding expedition.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, DISTRICT OF SOUTH KANSAS,
Mound City, Kans., June 26, 1864.

In obedience to the following dispatch by messenger, marked A, and also one by telegraph, marked B, I proceeded as directed, by stage, to Paola at 12 m., 14th instant, from thence by special conveyance same night to Olathe, where I arrived at midnight, and made the proper arrangements with the commissary and quartermaster departments, Lieutenant Nichols, Fifteenth Kansas, in charge. Next morning I proceed to Aubrey, where I found the following concentration of troops: Lieutenant-Colonel Hoyt, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, in command; Companies A and D, Eleventh Kansas cavalry, in their proper encampment, Aubrey being their