HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS,
Little Rock, Ark., December 6, 1864.

Major G en. J. J. REYNOLDS,

Commanding Military Division of West Mississippi:

GENERAL: I inclose herewith report of information delivered through a spy just in form Shreveport.* It is considered reliable. There is a report from Pine Bluff that 700 rebel cavalry were on the lower Monticello road. The fleet that came up the Arkansas brought more fright than could have been brought over the railroad in three weeks, as I am informed. The boats all got out of the river, except the Saint Cloud, which is at Pine Bluff and cannot get out until another rise, on account of a bar seven miles below that place. Of the fleet that started for Fort Smith none of the boats reached their destinations. They are all together in deep water above Dardanelle, and have to be guarded by troops. Their failure,in my opinion, is due to inefficiency on the part of the steam- boat men. They had sufficient time to have gone to Fort Smith and back on the rise. The river was navigable for all these boats for more than ten days. I am just informed by the master of transportation that tow of the six boats that started for Fort Smith are six miles below Lewisburg afloat. A scouting party sent to Batesville captured a rebel company, with two officers. There are no more rebel troops in that part of the country. McCray is below Augusta and has only about 200 men with him at present. Dobbin's men are al either on furlough or have deserted. I am informed by an old man, who is both loyal and reliable, of these facts. The scouting party has not returned. He further says that the deserters from Price's army are numerous east of White River, and that they all say they are not going into the rebel service again. Many of them are trying to get to Memphis. Please inform me whether, on the Treasury regulations and the President's order, I should permit cotton to be shipped out of this department; also whether Government agents should be permitted to purchase and ship cotton.

F. STEELE,

Major- General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,
New Orleans, December 6, 1864.

Brigadier General C. C. ANDREWS, Devall's Bluff, Ark.:

GENERAL: Major- General Reynolds instructs me to say to you that orders have issued which will relieve you from command at Devall's Bluff and place you in an important command in the Reserve Cops, Military Division of West Mississippi. A general officer will be designated to replace you at the Bluff. It is expected that you will remain in command until he shall arrive.

I am, general, very respectfully,

JOHN LEVERING,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF LITTLE ROCK,
Little Rock, Ark., December 6, 1864.

Colonel J. K. MIZNER,

Commanding Post of Brownsville:

The brigadier- general commanding the district directs that you send a scout of 200 men to Arkansas Post for the purpose of driving out the

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*See Nash to Steele, December 5, p. 769.

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