PAOLA, KANS., June 15, 1864.

Colonel THOMAS MOONLIGHT,

Aubrey, Kans.:

Keep what officers you want, regardless of the court-martial. Colonel Ford was at Raytown last night, northeast of hickman Mills. Captain Huntoon will be sent east on line to-morrow. The company at Trading Post will have to remain; the militia not likely to be on hand. colonel Ford's assistant adjutant-general at Kansas City will be notified from here of your move, and you can probably communicate with the colonel on your way. Be careful to guard against accident with his troops.

THOS. J. McKEAN,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding District.

PAOLA, KANS., June 15, 1864.

Lieutenant-General SNODDY,

Mound City, Kans.:

If you can get one company at Potosi and keep the one at Mound City, we can do the rest. I have ordered back the 3,000 rations which I had previously ordered from Fort Scott to Mound City for your command. You will have to draw your rations from Fort Scott on regular provision returns for the actual number of men in service. Transportation for the rations will be furnished from Fort Scott.

THOS. J. McKEAN,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding District.

FORT LARNED, KANS., June 15, 1864.

Major C. S. CHARLOT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of Kansas:

I have the honor to report, after making all necessary arrangements for the defense of Saline, I moved with 40 men for Smoky Fork Crossing, where I arrived on the evening of the 9th; distance,l 35 miles. I found the ranch entirely deserted. This being one of the most important and dangerous points on the road, as it is thought the Denver mail will now travel this route, I proceeded on the following morning to erect a block-house form timbers which I found already cut, and which were already hewed on two sides, but it was found necessary to hew the other two sides on account of the crookedness of the logs. On the 13th, having one story of the building up, left it with instructions, in charge of Lieutenant Ellsworth, of the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, to finish, and escorted the stage to Walnut Fork, a distance of 40 miles, and camped at a point where the road intersects the old Santa Fe road, and where the Leavenworth and Kansas City mails are due at the same time. I found this ranch entirely deserted, and the owner, who is here, says some of his stock was run off by the Cheyennes. I intend to build a block-house here on my return.

By delaying the first stage until the next arrives, our escort will answer for both stages to Larned. Arrival at Fort Larned on the evening of the 14th, during a very heavy thunder storm, and found the command of the post with about half the garrison on a scout