something must be done for the protection of this community. We hope you will take the matter under consideration, and, if possible, adopt some measures by which Union men may be as safe as rebels.

Respectfully,

BENJAMIN PALMER,

WILLIAM McCORMACK,

JOHN M. DAVIDSON,

Committee of Safety for Montgomery County.

Statement of George Williams.

SAINT LOUIS, August 25, 1864.

I left Saint Louis on Saturday morning, August 13, for the northern part of the State on a scouting expedition, under the direction of the provost-marshal-general. I was to act as a bushwhacker and obtain all the information possible. Arriving at Huntsville, I pressed the first horse I could find, which belonged to a man named Herther, the post commander sanctioning that proceeding, as he know what my business was. On Sunday morning I was at Roanoke, which place I left for Chariton County. There I saw some men who were formed into companies ready to go out as soon as they could get arms. If they had arms they would have been out before this. Captain Price, who came down here the other day and was put in prison, was to command the company. He lives in Chariton County. I had some conversation with Con. Hurtt. I had been acquainted with him previously to this. He came up and shook hands with me and said he was for the brush now. He then asked me if I was a bushwhacker. I said yes; he said he was for it and was waiting for me to get back. He had sent word into Roanoke that he was a bushwhacker, his friends residing there. He wanted to go with me, but I could not take him with me from prudential motives. His brother told me he was in the company but he wanted to be with me. I learned that there were twenty-five men sworn in the company. That night I went and stopped with this Hurtt, Lon Hurtt they call him, and he wanted to go with me, but I told him he had better wait awhile, that I had no arms for him at the time. I then saw Joe Price, and he told me to wait-and do nothing to put myself in any danger till he got back (he was then coming to Saint Louis); when he did get back we were to raise hell there in that county. I talked with a good many more and they spoke in the same way. The names of some of the men in this company are, Joe Price, Con. Hurtt, Lon Hurtt (brothers), Barton Fillport, David Fillport,

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Fillport (brothers),

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Price, brother of Joe.

I went from there and got in with some bushwhackers in Randolph County. I went around with them a little and found out that they were going to make a raid on the railroad, intending to stop the passenger train. I wrote to Huntsville and put the captain commanding the post on his guard there. This letter was opened by the postmaster and its contents communicated by him to the bushwhackers. I know the postmaster exposed me because there was nobody else who knew about it but myself. I was in the Federal camp, and they even knew that, and last Monday got after me. They had all the confidence in the world in me until the postmaster let it out. His name is Joseph Reiter, and he is the postmaster at Roanoke. He went to Quinn and told him about it. He said the letter was open, but I know better--it