has not left the State, but is concentrating in force south of Osceola. You will have to concentrate your forces in that vicinity and call into active service all the Enrolled Militia.

Let me know how many arms you want.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Brigadier-General.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., August 8, 1862.

Brigadier-General MERRILL, Hannibal, Mo.:

McNeil attacked Porter at Kirksville on the 6th and whipped him, after a fight of about three hours. Porter is on the Chariton, and I presume will come south. McNeil will continue the pursuit. Guitar debarked at Glasgow at noon yesterday and will start after Poindexter to-day. Poindexter was in Randolph County yesterday.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Brigadier-General.

AUGUST 8, 1862.

Major LUCIEN J. BARNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Major: I would respectfully report that Captain Turner, Sixth Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, left here on Tuesday eve last to reconnoiter in Johnson County. He yesterday fell in with a gang of bushwhackers in the brush in the neighborhood of Warrensburg; killed 4 and wounded 2 others. The wounded men state there are somewhere near 500 in that section, and that it had been their intention the first favorable opportunity to pounce upon Sedalia. They stated they had regular spies in Sedalia, who kept them constantly posted. From information received I was under some apprehension of an attack last night by Up. Hays and three different bands, and at the time I telegraphed you my force was very weak. The loyal militia were mostly unarmed; such arms as they had-old shot-guns, rifles without molds-in fact of very little service. I had sent two companies of my own in camp at the time. Two of my companies G and H, as I notified you, are at Laclede, Hannibal and Saint Joseph Railroad; three at Lexington. Captain Turner was out, and I had sent out a scout to the Muddy, where the bushwhackers had taken several of the loyal militia from their homes. It was not long, however, before Captain Turner came in, as also the others. One hundred men of Major Eno's command reported this a. m. I have sent to Hughes' camp and will report anything that may be important in regard to the loyal militia. If kept in camp here they will have to be subsisted chiefly from the commissary, as there is but little to be had in this section other than forage. The greater portion of these men could, I think, be enrolled under the call for nine-months' men. If I had authority I would go on enlisting them.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[E. C. CATHERWOOD.]

HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Learned, Kans., August 8, 1862.

Captain THOMAS MOONLIGHT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of Kansas:

SIR: I have the honor to report my arrival at this post yesterday morning at 8 o'clock a.m. Immediately after my arrival Major [J. G.]