tivity by the enemy, adhering to their posts of duty with remarkable tenacity and approving spirit.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ANSON STAGER,

Colonel, Asst. Quartermaster and Chief U. S. Mil. Telegraph.

[Inclosures.]

A.

U. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH,

Saint Louis, Mo., October 25, 1864.

Colonel ANSON STAGER,

Asst. Quartermaster, U. S. Army, and General Supt. U. S. Mil. Tel., Cleveland, Ohio:

COLONEL: In compliance with your order I have the honor herewith to hand you a detailed statement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1864, of principal items of property on hand, amounts received during the year by purchase from officers, by capture, &c.; also number and amount of same, description of property transferred, amount expended, lost, &c.

Also tabular statement, giving number of miles of land and submarine lines on hand June 30, 1863; number of same constructed, abandoned, &c., during the year, and number of miles in operation June 30, 1864, from and to what points; number and class of persons employed, amount of moneys received, from whom; amount disbursed and amount on hand June 30, 1864. Also an estimate of the number of telegrams sent and received over the military lines within my department per month and for the year.

In regard to the telegraph narrative of such battles, raids, retreats, and incidents as the military telegraph, myself, or employes may have been connected with, &c., I am at a loss to give it in the manner I presume you desire, having kept no other record of military matters than such as is embraced in my other reports.

It would not be improper for me to say, however, that, in the absence of any battles of moment in my department, guerrilla raids and bushwhacking have been constant in all parts of Missouri and Arkansas, and our repairers have fulfilled their duties inconstant danger to their lives.

In July, 1863, under orders from Major-General Schofield, I sent a building party to Cassville, Mo., with orders to rebuild the line south of that pint to Fayetteville and Fort Smith, Ark., but during the month of August following they were unable to obtain a escort.

No force could be spared to afford them protection, and their time was occupied in keeping open the communication with Saint Louis from that point until early in September, when the line was rebuilt to Fayetteville, Ark.

I was also ordered in July, 1863, by Major-General Schofield to connect Memphis and Little Rock by a telegraph, with a cable across the Mississippi River at Memphis, and a line on the route of the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad. I at once manufactured a submarine cable for that purpose (on approval of Colonel Stager) and perfected all arrangements for the work, including an examination of the river for planting the cable, but the work was not further proceeded with, it being considered impracticable to build the line through the country, which was overrun by guerrillas, and the order was countermanded