its outposts, Centerville, and Patterson. There are some of the Seventeenth Kansas at the bridges this side of your district. You will relieve them also. The officer in command of De Soto can give you information as to the location of the troops of that regiment this side of your district. The mounted men will march to Pilot Knob on being relieved. Report by telegraph when you shall have executed this order.

By order of Brigadier-General Ewing:

H. HANNAHS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., January 15, 1865.

Colonel J. F. PHILIPS,

Commanding Central District of Missouri, Warrensburg, Mo.:

COLONEL: I am in receipt of your report of January 10, which gives me a good insight into matters. You ask for advice and instructions relative to organizing local companies, &c. I expect that during this week or the next the new militia bill will become a law, when I propose that we shall organize in each of the Missouri River counties, and in others when necessary, at least one company of 100 men each, placed under good, undoubtedly loyal, and, if possible, experienced officers. The Government will furnish forage and clothing, the State probably arm and equip, and the counties be taxed to pay them. I hope the law will so pass as to warrant this, and have them raised under the superintendence of district commanders. If you raise any companies no doubt they can be turned into this organization. We must have in such companies good officers, who will command implicit obedience from and enforce discipline among their men, and who will not cause or allow their troops to unlawfully deprecate, pillage, or plunder, or to commit any acts through personal enmity. General Orders, Numbers 7, I propose to carry out strictly, and the people may as well understand that they must comply with it. Colonel Harding is now under you, which does away with all conflict of orders, and I believe placed troops at Little Blue. it is to our interest to give all protection and aid and encouragement to the finishing of the Pacific Railroad. I have sent working parties to Osage and Meramec to put up block-houses, so as to relieve you from drawing too heavily from your force for such details. I send you plan of good block-house. The lower part is all we build, the top or second story being useless. Make those you build in future upon this plan. Give no rest to the guerrillas. Keep them moving until we can have perfect organization. Keep me thoroughly advised of all that is transpiring.

Very respectfully, yours, &c.,

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Lyon, Colo. Ter., January 15, 1865.

Lieutenant ROBERT S. ROE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Fort Riley, Kans.:

SIR: I have the honor to report that since my last report on the 6th instant no signs of Indians have been seen in this immediate vicinity. The Indians have evidently all gone to the northward, and now have