Captain W. R. Love, provost-marshal, is having his hands full taking oaths and bonds from the secesh that my men are ordering to report here daily. There is a great deal of work to do here, and it will take some time to effectually rid this country of these marauding bands. News is continually reaching me of the locality of some particular band being encamped at certain places, but their spies are kept out, and they are so alert to give information to their clans that it will take strategy to catch them. I have received news that they intend to concentrate their forces and attack me. That is what I most desire, but I fear they have not the courage to do it. I have captured 20 kegs of powder left here by the rebel Governor Jackson, and I think I shall get a great deal more before long, as I have gotten wind of it. The contraband horses and mules of this country have mostly been sold to Government contractors, and consequently I have captured but few, but I have recaptured two of the Government wagons taken by the notorious Shelby off a boat last fall, and I think I shall get two or three more.

Suffer me to suggest the propriety of stationing the company proposed for Miami at Cambridge, as that seems to be the place most infested, and they can then operate with Major Hunt, stationed at Glasgow, and my command better operate with Brigadier-General Loan at Miami, as it is more contiguous to this post.

Your obedient servant,

DAVID McKEE,

Major Seventh Cavalry, Missouri Volunteers.

Brigadier-General TOTTEN.

JUNE 5, 1862.-Skirmish near Sedalia, Mo.

Report of Lieutenant George W. Nash, First Missouri Cavalry.

CAMP FIRST BATTALION FIRST MISSOURI CAVALRY.

Sedalia, Mo., June 8, 1862.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of my action on the scout ordered by you to pursue the party of marauders engaged in taking a forage train sent out on the 5th instant by the agent of the quartermaster's department of this post:

I left Sedalia at about 12 o'clock June 5 with a detachment of 78 men of Companies A, C, and E, of the First Missouri Cavalry, guided by one of the wagon-masters of the train taken. I proceeded without stopping to the point where the train was taken, and on arriving at this place I sent off detachments of skirmishers to both sides of the road, which orders to scour the brush; also was one party detached to the nearest house on the road over which I supposed the marauders had gone, with orders to procure a guide. This last-mentioned party soon returned with a guide, who led the way to the house of one Fields. At Fields' house I stopped in the road and detailed a party of 4 men to go to the house and make inquiries about the marauders, having first satisfied myself that the wagon taken from the quartermaster's train, and on which the harnesses were deposited, had halted in front of Fields' house near the gate, as indicated by the track of said wagon, which fact also corroborated a statement made by negroes that the party of marauders had stopped at Fields' house, as was supposed, to take a meal. Fields refused to give any information about the marauders to the men sent to his house, denying to know anything about