of about 2,000 effective force. I learn from Colonel Montgomery that the bridge across Big Creek is entirely destroyed by fire, and that may delay me some. I will be in Claredon as soon as I can march there, which will be some four or five days' march, with the train that I have and the prospect of the weather and roads. Of this, however, you can best judge.

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

JAS. M. TRUE,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, August 25, 1863.

Brigadier-General EWING,

Commanding District of the Border, Kansas City, Mo.:

GENERAL: I inclose a draught of an order which I propose to issue in due time. I send it to you in order that you may make the necessary preparations for it. Such a measure will, of course, produce retaliation upon such loyal people as may be exposed to it, and they should, as far as possible, be removed to places of safety before the execution of the order is commenced or the purpose to execute it is made public. Also, it is necessary to be quite certain that you have the power to put down the rebel bands and prevent retaliation leek that recently inflicted upon Lawrence, if, indeed, that can be regarded or was intended as an act of retaliation. My information relative to that distressing affair is too imperfect to enable me to judge accurately on this point. But it occurs to me as at least probable that the massacre and burning at Lawrence was the immediate consequence of the inauguration of the policy of removing from the border counties the slaves of rebels and the families of bushwhackers. If this is true, it would seem a strong argument against the wisdom of such policy. You are in position to judge of all this better than I can. At all events, I am pretty much convinced that the mode of carrying on the war on the border during the past two years has produced such a state of feeling that nothing short of loyal devastation of the districts which are made the haunts of guerrillas will be sufficient to put a stop to the evil. Please consider the matter fully and carefully, and give me your views in regard to the necessity for the application of such severe remedy, and of the wisdom of the method proposed. I will be guided mainly by your judgment in regard to it. If you desire the order to be issued as I have written it, or with any modifications which you may suggest, please inform me when you are ready for it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

A band of robbers and murderers, under the notorious Quantrill, has been for a long time harbored and fed by the disloyal people of Jackson, Cass, and Bates Counties, Missouri, and have driven out or murdered nearly all the loyal people of those counties; and, finally, on the -- of the present month these brigands, issuing suddenly from their hiding-places, made a descent upon the town of Lawrence, in Kansas, and in the most inhuman manner sacked and burned the town, and murdered in cold blood a large number of loyal and unoffending citizens. It is manifest that all ordinary means have failed to subdue the rebellious