regards the regiment as the unit of organizations. If those companies are left independent it will only cause future trouble. Webb's company, he has understood, was a marauding detachment in the vicinity of Augusta, Ark., and Webb himself is reported to be absent from his regiment without authority. He is also under the impression that Kidder's company is composed of absentees and deserters from the infantry, and was mounted without proper authority, he thinks, by General Churchill. Each of these companies should be carefully inspected. Slayback's command being a new organization and but 300 strong certainly cannot be a legally organized regiment, and being Missourians, if retained in service should be a legally organized battalion and attached to Marmaduke's brigade under the first plan. The commands brought from Arkansas by Colonel Brooks should be inspected, regularly received into service, and legally organized into regiments. The battalions, with the exception of Buck Brown's battalion, should be combined into a regiment and attached to the Arkansas brigade in the place of Slayback's. This brigade will be the first dismounted when the necessities of the service require it. Before assigning Colonel Brooks to command his relative rank with Colonel Logan should be ascertained. In regard to Jackman's brigade, which appears in the second plan, Colonels Schnable and Hunter are both represented to be good officers. Jackman has been deservedly recommended. Of Williams' regiment General Smith knows nothing, but if these regiments are properly organized he thinks they can be successfully dismounted by retaining Jackman in command of the brigade. They are each reported to have 400 men. You may have to combine one with the others, thus making these regiments of the minimum number of men. The State battalion, organized by General Rains and which was turned over under agreement with Governor Reynolds, I would suggest could be combined with Slayback's and organized into a regiment, as under agreement it was promised to be retained mounted. The general commanding desires that you will direct Major Shaler to make an inspection of the organizations and receive them into service. He knows that Major Shaler will literally carry out his instructions.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. R. BOGGS,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

CAMP NEAR SCULLYVILLE,

December 31, 1864.

[Brigadier General D. H. COOPER:]

GENERAL: I have gleaned much information this trip. It is in substance as follows: Doctor M., by agent, informed me that the Federal army would all be gone from Fort Smith in eight or ten days from the 28th instant. They had orders from Washington City to evacuate Forts S[mith], Gibson, and Little Rock, holding no post save Helena. The Governor, Generals Steele and Thayer, had sent Fishback to Washington to protest and ask that the order be revoked. From other sources too reliable to be doubted, I have it that from the 25th to the 27th five boats arrived at Fort S[mith] empty, bringing no supplies. As soon as it could be done these were loaded with men and cannon and returned down the river. Since then boats have continued to arrive empty and go away loaded. On the 27th or 28th the ordnance was moved from