many of them without arms. But as arms are being collected and received from the east of the river it is hoped that all will be armed ere long. All I meet with are anxious that you should cross the Mississippi River, and many hope that the result of the late great battles, with the movements that must necessarily follow, will enable you to enter the State of Missouri from the southwest, while this army enters at another point, and that they may meet you in the central other important portion of the State.

General Holmes is a plain, quiet man, makes no show, but works hard, and I judge from what I have observed that he intends to leave nothing undone in preparing for a forward movement.

I shall write you again at an early day, and will then be more fully advised as to many things than I am at present.

My respects to Colonel Snead and other friends. Hoping that you are in the enjoyment of good health and that I may soon hear of a forward movement by the troops under your command, I remain, truly, yours,

WALDO P. JOHNSON.

Abstract from Return of Troops in the District of Arkansas, September 17, 1862 (headquarters Little Rock, Ark).

Present for duty.

Troops. Officers. Men. Aggregate Remarks.

present.

Cooper's 296 6,961 7,559 Colonel O.

(Indian) Young's brigade

brigade... of General H. E.

McCulloch's

command, near

Austin, Ark.,

informally

reports effective

strength about

3,000. Fiver

regiments.

Carroll's 183 3,156 3,828

brigade...

Rains' 7 303 327

(Missouri)

brigade...

Nelson's

division:

Sweet's 136 1,614 2,492 Colonel H.

brigade... Randal's brigade,

of same command,

near Austin,

informally

reports effective

strength about

3,000. Five

regiment and one

battalion.

McRae's 182 2,435 4,221

brigade...

Roane's

division:

Shaver's 118 1,372 2,528 Anderson's

brigade... unattached

company, about 60

men, on duty as

Partisan Rangers

east of White

River.

Garland's 66 970 1,317 Chrisman's

brigade... squadron, about

160 men, ordered

to Pine Bluff.

McBride's 137 2,145 2,991 Morgan's squadron

brigade... of cavalry, about

150 men, encamped

near Little Rock.

Parsons' .... 471 760 Nutt's unattached

(M. M.) cavalry, about 90

brigade... men, ar Post

Arkansas, with

Garland's

brigade.

Parsons' 69 862 1,100

(W. M.)

brigade...

Artillery 25 586 681

Battalion

(Shoup's)

Total... 1,219 20,875 27,614

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, Va., September 18, 1862.

Honorable C. B. MITCHELL and others,

Confederate States Congress:

GENTLEMAN: In reply to your letter of the 9th instant I have the honor to say;

1st. Since the adjournment of Congress in April the receipt of arms from importation, capture, and manufacture has been about 90,000. The captured arms were mostly injured, and are issued as they are repaired. No arms fit for use are retained.

56 R R-VOL XIII