holding them in check below her. The flotilla is not now guarding the river, and my zeal for our common success, and my desire to prevent Price especially meeting with Hindman and becoming stronger than myself, will account for my efforts in some way for augmenting the power of the flotilla so as to secure immediate change in the attitude of the affairs below me, where there is now no flotilla and the enemy has full sway. Things are moving since the commodore arrived here, and I will help him all I can consistent with your directions to help Missouri. Do you concur in my effort to fortify Helena, and may I take the siege guns now at Bird's Point, which are not needed by Grant? All quiet below on Monday evening.

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., August 7, 1862.

General TOTTEN, Jefferson City, Mo.:

Coffee passed up through Greenville on the 3rd instant. Hubbard, with 600 men, marched into Dade County to intercept him. Coffee turned and went back, and was in Greenville on the 5th. Major Hubbard was still in Dade County on the 6th (yesterday). I do not believe Coffee is now north of Greenville; if he is, there is enough of our men after him to eat him up. I will telegraph General Brown to push on after him if he is still going north. I will send Colonel Warren some kind of arms-muskets, if nothing else. Colonel McNeil overtook Porter yesterday at Kirksville and whipped him badly.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Brigadier-General.

SPRINGFIELD, August 7, 1862.

Brigadier General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD, Saint Louis:

Major Montgomery, with about 100 Sixth Missouri Cavalry and five companies of militia, is in Dade County, following Coffee. Major Hubbard is at Newtonia with his battalion and a section of Murphy's battery. On the night of the 6th Jackman and Texas troops, about 400 in all, were south of Neosho. No answer from Colonel Salomon to my request to occupy Jasper and Newton Counties. General Blunt telegraphed me for information of the enemy. In answering, I told him my request sent to Colonel Salomon, and asked if it would be done; have not received an answer.

E. B. BROWN,

Brigadier-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF MISSOURI, Numbers 71.
Saint Louis, August 7, 1862.

I. Lieutenant Colonel J. F. Tyler, First Infantry, Missouri State Militia, is hereby assigned to the command of the gunboat John Warner. He will at once proceed up the Missouri River and seize or destroy all ferry-boats, skiffs, rafts, or other means of crossing the river which are in positions to be used by the rebels.

Having accomplished this, he will cruise up and down the river in the vicinity of points where large bands of rebels may be congregated,

35 R R-VOL XIII