to forbid the transporting of artillery, he returned to New Madrid, where he was on Friday morning, with all his forces.

Jeff. Thompson's main body was at Sikeston this morning. He has a detachment at Benton of some 500.

I have the honor to inclose you a letter from Ex-Lieutenant Governor Reynolds (a copy of which has been sent me); also another from Jeff. Thompson to me, containing several threats.

I plead guilty to the charge of having written the note mentioned, and would have done as I promised had Captain Price committed the threatened outrages on the peaceable citizens. of Commerce. My threats had the desired effect, and prevented his doing any act of violence there. I tried hard to get hold of Captain Price and his troop of marauders, but they always run, even when but half their number of foot soldiers are opposed to them. The young man Price and his brother-in-law, who were taken prisoners, have been notoriously active in aiding the enemy. Their father, the brother of Captain Price, was the agent for procuring supplies for the New Madrid forces, and his mules, servants, and family were all engaged in transporting them.

I am happy to learn that the pretended governor of the State disapproves of the proclamation of his commanding general, and I shall most certainly endeavor to aid him in carrying on the war according to civilized usage. I can furnish the ex-governor with information which, if he means what he writes, will keep him steadily engaged for some time in punishing Missouri forces.

I will dispatch you by telegraph from Jonesborough to-night as to whether I shall take any action in regard to the Branch Bank at this place.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. C. MARSH,

Colonel, Commanding Post.

[Inclosures.]

NEW MADRID, MO., August 15, 1861.

Major General FREMONT, U. S. A.,

Commanding U. S. Forces in Missouri:

SIR: Captain Charles Price, of the Missouri State Guard, has received a letter from Messrs. B. S. Curd and William M. Price, dated Cape Girardeau, August 10, 1861, in which they write: "The colonel says that if you attack Commerce to-night he will hang us." With this note is another, recognized to be in the handwriting of Colonel C. C. Marsh, and of which the following is an exact copy:

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Cape Girardeau, August 10, 1861.

SIR: Your relatives have written you the above note. It is true. If you injure the people of Commerce or their property I will hang them, and take a bitter revenge on you in other respects.

C. C. MARSH,

Colonel, Commanding U. S. Forces, Cape Girardeau.

The gentlemen held by Colonel Marsh are, as I am credibly informed, citizens of this State, and unconnected in any way with military operations. Even were they so connected in a manner justifying their being made prisoners of war, the Articles of War and Army Regulations of the United States require humane treatment of prisoners.

I also learn that the detachment of Colonel Marsh's troops which

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