Today in History:

248 Series I Volume XLI-IV Serial 86 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part IV

Page 248 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]


HEADQUARTERS NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Mouth of White River, October 26, 1864-9 a. m.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY:

Left Little Rock, after conference with General Steele, at 8.30 p. m. 24th. Arrived here 8 a. m. to-day. White River three and a half feet on bars, and boats cannot run at night. I left at Devall's Bluff Colonel Dye's brigade and two sections of Seventh Massachusetts Battery, Captain Storer; at Saint Charles, the Fifty-third Colored Infantry, about 500 aggregate, also one section Seventh Massachusetts Battery, and two companies Eighty-seventh Illinois Mounted Infantry, about eighty-five effective. Colonel Slack is on boat coming down to mouth of White River. General Steele will send a supply train to Fort Smith, very soon, escorted by 3,500 cavalry and an infantry force, the whole not less than 5,000. General Steele thinks his scouts will inform him as to Price's route returning from Missouri. If he crosses the Arkansas between Fort Smith and Little Rock General Steel thinks he can strike him. He has advices from Fort Smith to the 10th instant. Thayer had only about thirty days' provisions. He felt confident of being able to repulse Price if he should attack near by Fayetteville. Is instructed to fall back on Fort Smith if attacked in heavy force. The distance is about fifty miles. If Price should pass west [of] Fort Smith General Steele cannot touch him. No news yet received here indicating any attempt at crossing the river by the enemy. I will immediately organize reconnaissance to Gaines' Landing. The One hundred and twenty-fourth Illinois left here at 3 p. m. yesterday for Vicksburg. General Mower took a good deal of transportation, which has not been replaced.

J. J. REYNOLDS,

Major-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 3.]

Report of effective strength of troops in Seventh Army Corps.

Districts Officers Men Aggregate

Little Rock (including posts of 456 10,761 11,217

Little Rock, Pine Bluff,

Brownsville, Devall's Bluff, and

Lewisburg).

Frontier (including Fort Smith, 200 4,740 4,940

Fayetteville, and Fort Gibson)

Eastern Arkansas (Helena) 67 1,654 1,421

Total 723 16,855 17,578


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, &C.,
Little Rock, Ark., October 24, 1864.

Official abstract of reports of troops in the Seventh Army Corps.

JOHN F. LACEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.-Add to the above at Devall's Bluff, Dye's brigade, about 2,000.

J. J. REYNOLDS,

Major-General.


Page 248 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.