troops that passed through this place went toward Jacksonport on Sunday last and returned the same days to Searcy. There were some 15 or 20 of them, under command of Lieutenant Pope, of Captain Hicks' company.

Heavy cannonading was heard here on Saturday and Sunday last a little north of east from this place. The distance from this place to Jacksonport is 12 miles; to Des Are by water 125 miles, by land 60 miles. I except to be in camp by 7 or 8 o'clock this evening.

Very respectfully,

KIELMANSEGGE,

Major.

PITMAN'S FERRY, May 15, 1862.

J. C. KELTON, Assistant Adjutant-General:

Having been order by Major-General Curtis to march with four regiment of infantry to Tennessee via Cape Girardeau, I left my camp post near Batesville on the 13th instant, and reached this place. Pitman's Ferry, on Current River, at State Line, yesterday evening, making 68 miles in three days. To-day will cross my command and trains and resume my march early to-morrow morning. My artillery and cavalry were ordered to remain in Arkansas.

ASBOTH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Second Division.

HEADQUARTERS MISSOURI STATE MILITIA,
Saint Louis, May 16, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith a communication from Brigadier-General Loan, commanding the District of Northwest Missouri, with other papers therein referred to,s etting forth facts which I fear will lead to serious difficulty between the people of Kansas and Missouri, if not between the troops of the two departments.

I have taken the liberty of addressing you directly upon the subject, because of its importance, the distance of General Halleck, and length of time required to communicate with him by main, and his want of power since the separation of Kansas from his department to remedy the evil.

I would respectfully suggest as a means of preventing difficulties of the kind complained of that an order be issued from the War Department forbidding the troops of Kansas to enter Missouri or those of Missouri Kansas unless at the request of the respective commanders. This appears to me to be a necessity, resulting from the bitter feeling existing between the border people, which feeling is the result of old feuds, and involves very little, if at all, the question of Union or disunion.

It is useless to attempt to disguise the fact that the chief difficulty now in the way of the speedy pacification of Missouri is the disposition of lawless bands of border men and of troops raised on either side of the line to commit unjustifiable acts of violence and destruction or seizure of property.

I have endeavored to prevent this as far as possible by stationing in