opportunity to send it, but hope before long to be able to make you a full report of the brigade under my charge.

Yours, most respectfully,

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Field report of the division stationed in the western part of Arkansas, commanded by Colonel James McIntosh, January 1, 1862.

[Extract.]

Commanding Troops. Total. Aggrega Field

officer. the. artill

ery

First First Regiment Arkansas 800 845

Brigade, Mounted Riflemen

Colonel (Churchill).

Jas.

McIntosh,

commanding

.

Second Regiment 820 862

Arkansas Mounted

Riflemen (McIntosh)....

South Kansas-Texas 960 1,003

Regiment (Greer)......

Fourth Regiment Texas 677 713

Cavalry (Sims)........

Sixth Regiment Texas 880 927

Cavalry

(Stone)...........

Burnett's company Texas 79 83

cavalry (Stone)......

Total First Brigade.... 4,216 4,433

Second Hill's regiment, 690 738

Brigade, Arkansas infantry.....

Colonel

Louis

Hebert,

commanding

.

McNair's South Arkansas 680 725

infantry............

McRae's regiment 600 646

Arkansas infantry......

Mitchell's Fourteenth 880 930

Regiment Arkansas

Infantry....

Rector's regiment 500 544

Arkansas infantry.....

Hebert's Third 690 733

Louisiana Regiment....

Third Regiment Texas 750 796

Cavalry.......

Whitfield's battalion 280 297

Texas cavalry.......

Brooks' battalion 300 316

cavalry...........

Gaines' battery 70 74 1

artillery.........

Good's battery 100 105 6

artillery.........

Hart's battery 71 75 4

artillery.........

Provence's battery 70 73 4

artillery.........

Total Second Brigade... 5,681 6,052 15

Grand Total 9,897 10,485 15

(division)..

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Columbus, Ky., January 3, 1862.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS:

Being desirous to know the exact state of things in Missouri so far as the forces in the interest of the Confederacy were concerned, as also to know the views and plans of Generals McCulloch and Price, i sent a trustworthy messenger from this post to both of their camps for that purpose. That messenger has just returned, and I have thought it best to send him without delay to you, which I do on to-morrow.

I gave General Price to understand that I regarded energetic action on his part in keeping the enemy employed in Missouri of the highest importance to the defense of my present position, and that I hoped he would leave no effort unmade to keep himself in the field during the winter. In my letter to him I expressed the opinion that if the Confederate Government could help Missouri from the east it must be through Columbus, and I was not without hope of yet aiding in the emancipation of Saint Louis through this route. In reply he has written