By doing so I can hold this point some eight or ten days longer and seriously annoy them in the navigation of this river. I shall keep you well advised of my movements.

Recruiting goes on very well. I do not think I overstep the mark when I say that by July 10 I shall have 4,000 men in camp. They will, however, be poorly and sparsely armed. General Adams writes me from Mississippi County that he has procured 1,000 stand of arms and 100,000 cartridges, which will be ready for issue by July 1. Should he succeed in getting them across the Mississippi River and issue them to these unarmed men, I can soon arm the remainder. It has been raining steadily for the last three weeks, and the whole country is flooded with water and altogether in a much worse condition than on our expedition to Helena last June. Forage there is none, and subsistence very scarce indeed. I send you the latest papers by Lieutenant-Colonel Elliott.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JO. O. SHELBY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel J. F. BELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Arkansas.

HDQRS. CONFED. FORCES OF NORTHERN ARKANSAS, June 29, 1864.

GENERAL: On the 19th instant I took up the line of march for Clarendon and proceeded as rapidly as the nature of the roads would permit until I arrived within 2 miles of that point. Here I learned that the U. S. steamer Queen City (gun-boat Numbers 26) was stationed there, protecting transports in the navigation of White River to Devall's Bluff. I immediately threw out my pickets and remained there until midnight of the 23rd instant, when I moved my whole command into town and took position on the river bank about 100 yards from the boat. About 4 a. m. on the 24th, I opened fire on her and notified her commander of my approach and intentions. After a sharp engagement of about twenty minutes she struck her colors and surrendered with all on board. She was clad with iron 1 1/4 inches thick, and was manned by a crew of 65 men. Her armament was as follows: Four 32, four 24, and one 12 pounder. I removed one 24 and one 12 pounder, besides some fifty stand of small-arms, a large amount of ammunition and commissary supplies, then scuttled and burned her. In a short time three more gun-boats made their appearance, which we immediately engaged. After a fierce cannonade of an hour and a half two of them succeeded in passing below our battery, while the other remained above, thus subjecting us to a cross-fire, which was very harassing. Finding that I could do them no more damage, I withdrew my command a distance of about 2 miles. Desultory firing continued all day between the gun-boats and my sharpshooters. The Tyler, the most formidable boat in the White River fleet, was so much injured that she was compelled to return to Devall's Bluff that night, and another (the Numbers 30) was towed off by her comrade (the Numbers 36), being unable to get off without assistance. Early the next morning they sent down a force of cavalry, infantry, and artillery numbering about 4,000 men. I engaged them at once and succeeded in punishing them severely; but finding they were too strong for me, I with-