probably judge better than I at this distance the practicability of so doing. Therefore I will leave the matter to your judgment.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Brigadier-General.

SPRINGFIELD,

August 10, 1862.

Brigadier General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD:

Major Hubbard has possession of a stone barn, with his guns on the upper floor. The barn is surrounded by a stone wall. The country is open prairie, and he is keeping Rains off. The re-enforcements probably reached him this morning.

I have charged the movement at Greenfield. Seven hundred troops, mostly United States, and one section of artillery leave Greenfield this morning in pursuit of Coffee. I am doing everything possible to make the militia effective.

E. B. BROWN,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,
Clarendon, August 10, 1862.

Captain PADDOCK,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I herewith inclose several intercepted letters,* which conclusively show that General Hindman and his forces are in and near Little Rock. They also show that part of his forces are on this side of the river, and that his army is considerably demoralized. I have just had an interview with William M. Wells, a discharged private of Company G, commanded by Captain Norris, First Regiment of Mounted Arkansas Rangers. He says his regiment belongs to Churchill's brigade and McCown's division, which was in Price's army at Tupelo; that in coming back to his home in this place in company with about 1,500 of Price's command they divided and crossed the Mississippi in small squads and concentrated at Little Rock; that he left Little Rock on the 17th day of July, and arrived here, where his family resides, about ten days since. He is a native of Indiana, anxious to return home. He is well known to many of the privates in one of my regiments (Twenty-fourth Indiana), and I believe his statements are perfectly reliable.

He estimates the troops at and near Little Rock at 20,000 to 24,000 men, mostly Texans, under General Johnson, and the Arkansas regiments under General Rust. They have lately made a camp 9 miles above Little Rock, on Christian Hill, a high elevation on the west bank of the river that overlooks the surrounding country. He represents the condition of their army as being greatly demoralized with measles, sickness, and dissatisfaction prevailing through the camp, and says that a large part of the army would surrender if they had a chance. He further says that they have forty pieces of artillery, one 60-pounder, three 24-pounders, thirty-six 6 and 12 pounders, and about five hundred Minie muskets and five hundred flint-locks, the balance of their arms being shot-guns, rifles, &c. He represents two-thirds of their men

---------------

*Not found.

---------------