HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., June 1, 1864.

Major-General ROSECRANS,

Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.:

GENERAL: The last information that I have of Shelby's command is that he was on the Big Piney, in Pope County, Ark., about half way between Dover and Clarksville. This was nearly a week ago. A company of Enrolled Militia that I had stationed at Lamar had been removed by some officer about a week ago without my knowledge. I ordered the company back immediately upon learning that it had been removed, but before it arrived some guerrillas came in and burned the public records and all the buildings, and destroyed some of the personal property of the citizens.

An investigation into the matter of the removal of the troops was instituted some five days ago and before the burning of the town. As soon as the officer ordering the troops away is known, I will put him in arrest and have him tried. Melville, as is the case with all towns now, was burned at once, after our troops were withdrawn, by guerrillas. The number of small-arms now in the arsenal here is 4,740. A building to store them and the ammunition in is already completed in Fort No. 1, and nearly all the arms and ammunition already stored there.

The stock is doing well now, but we need 200 or 300 cavalry horses. The crops are looking finely, and promise to yield enough for the purposes of the Government the coming year.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., June 1, 1864.

Captain J. CASSAIRT,

Commanding at Forsyth, Mo.:

SIR: Information has been received at these headquarters that the rebel Colonel Freeman is at the house of Mr. Wolf, near the North Fork of White River, wounded, and is guarded by two squadrons of his command. The citizens of Ozark and Douglas Counties report that Tracy's band of guerrillas comes into their counties, robbing and murdering Union citizens. You will obtain from the commanding officer of the detachment of Second Arkansas Cavalry near your post a sufficient detachment to make, with all the available mounted men of your command, a detachment of 2 commissioned officers and 100 men, if possible, and proceed immediately to the mouth of the North Fork, unless there is more force there than represented, and if possible capture Freeman and his guard, and then scout the country thoroughly, driving out all bands of guerrillas and robbers in that section. You will scout down Beaver Creek and through Ozark and Douglas Counties, if any guerrillas are still remaining there, making every effort to rid the country of guerrillas, and return to Forsyth, sending forward to the district provost-marshal, immediately upon your return, all prisoners captured, &c., making official report of your scout to these headquarters.

By order of the general commanding:

W. D. HUBBARD,

First Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.