WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C. September 10, 1862.

A. S. PADDOCK,

Secretary and Acting Governor, Omaha, Nebr.:

Major General John Pope has been appointed military commander of the Northwest Department, including the Territory of Nebraska. He is now on the road to his command. His headquarters will be at Saint Paul. You will communicate with him touching the subjects mentioned in your telegram to this department, and will take the proper measures to protect your territory from Indian aggression.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, ARMY OF KANSAS,
September 10, 1862-9 p. m.

Captain MOONLIGHT:

CAPTAIN: I arrived here yesterday evening. To-day until late there has been a heavy rain. My information is that the main body of the enemy (as well as ascertained and not to be thoroughly relied upon) is at Pineville and neighborhood. Small parties of them been passing for days northward toward Lamar. Clark Wright is at Mount Vernon, and I learn (unofficially) that he proposes to move southwest. The rebels hereabouts boats that the enemy is on its way north.

Phillips, from a dispatch received last night, is safe, but confident the enemy is in his neighborhood. I have advised him to come here, and ordered Ritchie's and Largelere's trains to do likewise. I have dispatched D. Wright, informing him of my presence. I am really puzzled at the movements of the enemy. The facts that they refuse to attack Phillips and that small parties of them are going north would indicate that they have directly gone to re-enforce Hindman. On the other band, they may be scattering northward with a view to raid in that direction. Intelligent rebels here say (some) that they are only as a feint, and that the real point of attack is Springfield. Whatever force they have is in the broken county of McDonald County.

I have taken steps to ambush their northern thoroughfare in order to capture some reliable intelligence, also to occupy all the grain-growing region, and thus starve them into a retreat or a fight. To this end I have advised and ordered the movements of the other troops assigned to my command. I am now awaiting your orders. My instructions confine me here. Shall I have a larger discretion? If you would send parties to Lamar, Montevallo, and other points northward you would gobble up many rebels.

If Wright gets up an attack I shall help him.

Your obedient servant,

WM. WEER,

Colonel, Commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. ARMY IN THE FIELD, YELLVILLE, ARK.,
September 10, 1862.

Brigadier General JAMES TOTTEN, Commanding:

GENERAL: In the Saint Louis Democrat of the 4th, now before me, appears a telegraphic dispatch dated Saint Joseph, Mo., Sep-