General WEST,

Commanding Forces at Springfield, Ark.;

SIR: I have the honor to report that I met a detachment of your command last evening at Norristown. All was well at Fort Smith when we left that point on the 25th. Clarksville is occupied by Colonel Cloud, Second Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. I routed Jackman on Piney, 7 miles northwest of Dover; captured 15 of his men. Went to Dover but found no enemy. Coffee gone after Shelby. General Thayer wishes you to communicate with [him]. You can meet our scouts east of Clarksville. You have all the news that we have about Shelby. I can hear nothing of Cabell. I cannot hear of his whereabouts.

I am, general your obedient servant,

W. DOUDNA,

Major Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cav., Commanding Battalion.

GENERAL: We get this from the Cadron. The original was not dated.

Respectfully,

HOLT,

SPRINGFIELD, MO., May 29, 1864

Brigadier-General THAYER,

Commanding, Fort Smith:

On the 26th instant Major Melton, commanding detachment of Second Arkansas Cavalry at Berryville, reported Shelby to be on the Osage, southeast of Berryville, with 2,000 men and six pieces of artillery. A report just received from Major Melton, by telegraph reports a large number of rebels in the vicinity of Berryville, but does not speak of Shelby. He is probably in that section.

W. D. HUBBARD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

The general is absent.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., May 29, 1864.

Brigadier-General THAYER,

Fort Smith, Ark.:

Shelby is not on the Osage River, nor is he north of the Boston Mountains, that I can learn. All is quiet.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., May 29, 1864

(Received 7.45 p.m.)

ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY:

I consider it my duty to the public service to represent that I am in receipt of telegraphic intelligence from General Steele, at Little Rock, General Sanborn, at Springfield, General Thayer, at Fort