HDQRS. TROOPS IN AND WEST OF NEOSHO VALLEY,
Humboldt, Kans., February 7, 1864.

Colonel CHARLES W. BLAIR,

Fourteenth Kansas Cav. Vols., Commanding, Fort Scott:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this p. m. of yours of 4th, inclosing instructions of Major-General Curtis and your order assuming command of troops within the boundaries therein named, including the troops of this command. I beg leave to say, colonel, that this arrangement is perfectly satisfactory to me, and that it will give me great pleasure to serve under you. With my return for the 10th, I will submit detailed statement of location of troops, their condition, &c.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. B. PLUMB,

Major Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Cav., Commanding.

WASHINGTON, February 8, 1864.

Major-General GRANT,

Nashville, Tenn.:

General Banks is urgent to have more cavalry. There are several regiments nearly organized in Minnesota and other Western States which can be sent to him by the Mississippi River, unless you absolutely need them. The Quartermaster-General reports that it will be difficult to supply horses and forage to any additional cavalry in Tennessee, and that ocean transports cannot be obtained to send much cavalry from the North to New Orleans. Please answer.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

NASHVILLE, TENN., February 8, 1864-5.30 p. m.

(Received 10.30 p. m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Let General Banks have the cavalry now ready for the field. That belonging to the military division, if filled up, will be quite as much as can be fed.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

BATON ROUGE, LA., February 8, 1864-6 p. m.

(Received 6.45 p. m.)

Brigadier-General STONE,

Chief of Staff:

The advance of a scout to-day was fired on and Lieutenant Bush and 1 private badly wounded, this was 5 miles from town. The enemy disappeared in the woods. I think Searing's supplies should not go on; he is an Alabamian.

P. ST. GEO. COOKE,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army.