HEADQUARTERS SHELBY'S BRIGADE,
April 7, 1864.

Major H. EWING,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Captain Franklin, commanding scout on the Elkin's Ferry road, reports the enemy advancing with cavalry on the Elkin's Ferry road. I was out on the prairie and could hear the firing of musketry very plainly. Force not known.

Very respectfully,

JO. O. SHELBY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade.

P. S.-Courier just in front the picket on the road running past Mr. Wilson's to Camp Mitchell.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF INDIAN TERRITORY,
Camp Garland, C. N., near Laynesport, April 7, 1864.

Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS,

Chief of Staff, Trans-Mississippi Dept., Shreveport, La.:

GENERAL: In compliance with instructions recently received from department headquarters I have moved my disposable force, viz, Gano's brigade, to Washington from this place. I have also ordered Walker's Choctaw brigade to move to this place, and shall, if circumstances require it, immediately send an order back from Washington for it to proceed directly to that point. That brigade ought to have started yesterday morning, but from a not just in from my adjutant at Doaksville I think the head of his column probably got started this morning. Troops of this kind do not move with the promptness of white troops. It is as they choose about leaving their territory, but I hope there will be no difficulty. They can fall behind a treaty stipulation if they wish. The brigade will do very good work if it comes up. I have also directed Martin's regiment to be sent on at once upon arrival, and if it comes in my companies to send as fast as they come. I shall spare no pains to render all the assistance in my power yet I feel in an awkward position. All the force I am send amounts to no great deal. I am of course thrown out of my district and cannot tell so well what is going on. These reasons, however, would be in sufficient. The tenor of General Smith's instructions indicates that he expected my attention to be turned mainly to the crossing of Red River. I am, however, ordered (by General Boggs' letter) to report for instructions to General Price. General Price directs everything to be moved to Washington that I can spare as rapidly as possible. If I could take respectable force, then I would feel that I was not an interloper, but I think it most likely that the sending of any one at this late hour to rank those now around Washington would produce confusion and perhaps hard feelings. I have no ambition to gratify and no wish outside of my duty. Wherever the lieutenant-general commanding thinks I can do most good I am willing to serve. Unless there is some specific duty for me to perform in Arkansas, I would respectfully suggest that, as there is an abundance of generals and a scarcity of troops about Washington, I could do more good in my own district than there, unless I have specific orders, leaving no room for