HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI,
Warrensburg, Mo., April 5, 1864.

Honorable R. T. VAN HORN, Kansas City, Mo:

MY DEAR VAN: I see the "peeps" are again to honor you, and it will gratify me much to pay my respects to his honor the mayor when next I visit your goodly city. I don of hear from your people, at least I do not hear any complaints, so I hope and believe all is going on smoothly for the border, but I would like to be assured of it over your own sign manual.

My letters from General Curtis are very satisfactory. Ha assures me that he will do all he can to protect your trade. Some changes of troops were made at my suggestion, and I hope your business has felt the effect of renewed confidence in being secure from interruption. This part of the country is growing daily more quiet. A citizens' guard organization is being made all over the country, and is attended with the best results in the growing confidence of the people to protect themselves. The number of acres of ground planted this spring will be double that of last. the guerrillas have been handled roughly by our troops; of Blunt's band of 20 that made their appearance about the 22nd of February, 10 are under the sod, except the fellow Blunt, who has been left to rot, not being considered worthy of burial.

I am informed that Blunt's real name was Henry Starr, son of Judge Starr, who lives across the line in Kansas, about 8 miles south-west of Westport. Do you know if this is so? The railroad is moving very slowly. The want of labor is the principal difficulty. the soldiers are doing some work by the day, when not required in camp. I am cutting about 1,000 ties per day by volunteers. The contractors pay them by the piece, and they earn from $2 to $3 per day. My effort to obtain African descents to work on the railroad has not been as yet successful, through it has been sent to Washington, approved by General Rosecrans. We shall be connected with Kansas, through your city, with a military telegraph in a short time. It is the restrictions on immigration into the border, and hope to do so soon after I move my headquarters int it, which I expect to do next week, and have them at Pleasant Hill for the present. That will be the center of railroad operation s by the 1st of May. Will you take time to write me occasionally? Give me your views freely about matters referred to, and any others.

I am, very truly, your obedient servant,

E. B. BROWN,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

SPRINGFIELD, MO., April 5, 1864.

Major-General ROSECRANS:

The force that was in front of Yellville was not so strong as reported. It was the old command of General McRae, and some portions of Freeman's command; no force can move to this State now without marching nearly 100 miles without forage, unless it is transported form the place of starting. three prisoners captured at Batesville by Freeman's command have arrived here and say that the enemy were informed that our forces had left Yellville. The enemy might have anticipated occupying the place without a fight or capturing