here, Colonel Trumbull in command, and reported to him. Rebel General Shelby has not been in this part of the country. I would respectfully request that my command be returned to Little Rock, as I will be destitute of rations before this reaches you.

I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. S. McCARTNEY,

Captain, Commanding Detach. Tenth Illinois Cavalry.

BROWNSVILLE, June 21, 1864.

Captain C. H. DYER:

I saw Lieutenant Pierce, Tenth Illinois Cavalry, 3 miles from here this morning. He had just come from Austin, and was in search of Major Drummond. Had not found him to deliver his dispatch yet. The lieutenant reports all quiet in the vicinity of Austin. I cannot hear anything of Shelby's force. I am now fully satisfied that this forces are not no this side of White River. The Sixty-first Illinois Infantry is not needed here. Shall I send them back to Little Rock?

O. WOOD,

Colonel.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF LITTLE ROCK,
Little Rock, Ark., June 21, 1864.

Colonel O. WOOD,

Brownsville:

COLONEL: The brigadier-general commanding directs that you immediately commence having the timber cut down in the vicinity of Brownsville.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. H. DYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HICKORY PLAINS, ARK., June 21, 1864.

Captain C. H. DYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Little Rock:

In the dispatch of yesterday from district headquarters, ordering me to move to this place, I am charged with behaving very badly in not sending in reports, and falling back without fighting. This charge does me very great injustice, and I desire and demand an investigation of my conduct, and hope that it may be made as early as possible. I sent in daily reports as required in the order under which I was acting. One of these reports failed to reach you, for reasons explained in my dispatch of the 19th instant.

The report that Shelby was collecting a force here, or near here, was not received by me until late in the night of the 18th, and as I determined to march for this point at daylight next morning, for the purpose of ascertaining if the report was correct, nothing was to be gained by sending special messengers before my arrival at Austin, by which time I hoped to get more definite information. Arriving near Austin I met one of my detachments returning from Brownsville, and was informed by one of my sergeants that he had