but little injury was done him, a few being killed, and as many made prisoners. Picket-firing commenced with Colonel Stuart's command at Stony Point the same day, but all of McCray's forces have been falling back constantly and keeping out of our reach. McCray himself left Searcy on the afternoon of the 7th instant. His force is reported at 2,000. Rebel authority reported that Shelby was at Augusta and proposed crossing at that point to unite with McCray on the Grand Glaize road and give us battle. To prevent this I moved to-day to this point, hoping to meet Shelby in the act of crossing the river, but was disappointed. Shelby, with a reported force of 2,000 men, left Augusta on Sunday, the 7th instant, taking the road to Jacksonport. McCray is making the best of his way to join him. I may not succeed in preventing their junction, but know that I am strong enough to whip them united. With the enemy (as Dobbin is reported gone up Crowley's Ridge), who have been annoying your communications, all on the other side of my force, I deem it my duty to pursue until they are "captured or dispersed." I shall accordingly continue my movements and march to-morrow for Grand Glaize. The command is doing well.

I am, general, your obedient servant,

J. R. WEST,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Brigadier General E. A. CARR,

Commanding District of Little Rock.

P. S.-7.30 p. m.: In securing a ferry-boat this afternoon at a ferry about three miles above Augusta, a body of some 300 of the enemy discovered themselves. Captain Latimer, Third Michigan Cavalry, very adroitly secured the boat, and learned from a woman on the east side of White River that Shelby was encamped four miles above Augusta. I believe this to be so, and request that you will send immediately one or two good steam-boats to Augusta to enable me to cross the river. I shall keep operating around here until you do this, and propose to develop the enemy to-morrow. Please send me 45,000 pounds of oats. I inclose also a memorandum of ammunition, which is much wanted.*

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY EXPEDITION,
Searcy landing, August 13, 1864.

GENERAL: On the 9th instant I closed the dispatch which I forwarded to you by means of the canoe, with this postscript.+

On the following day, Wednesday, the 10th, I pushed over a reconnoitering party at Augusta, which drove the enemy's pickets from the town northward. In the afternoon I crossed the Third Michigan Cavalry on the ferry-boats previously referred to, and a reconnaissance twelve miles north from Augusta discovered no enemy. The next day, the 11th, I crossed the Eighth Missouri by the ferry-boat at Hatch's Ferry, four miles above Augusta,but learning of the concentration of the enemy under Shelby at Village Creek, on the Jacksonport road, I vicinity of the enemy, and the boats not arriving from below I could not transport the main body across the river in safety. I therefore recrossed to the west side of the river the Third Michigan and Eighth Missouri on the 12th, and returned to this point yesterday, the 12th.

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*Omitted as unimportant.

+See next, ante.

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