Today in History:

133 Series I Volume XLI-IV Serial 86 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part IV

Page 133 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

whose duties will extend, like Captain Dyer's, along the whole line. That is the best I can do. I will send all the artillerymen I can scrape together, but fear I cannot get enough to thoroughly man the guns in the fort. Gun carriages are being sent down with adequate artillery ammunition. Send up here the Sixth Missouri Cavalry. Instruct Major Montgomery in my name I expect him to preserve strict discipline on the march, and the utmost care on his part and that of his officers to prevent pillage. If any seizures of property are made they must be by his order, and must be reported here on his arrival. Give him written orders to this effect. price has not got into the border counties of Missouri, and apparently will not get to Kansas City, where Curtis has a strong force. His movements are unknown here, as also hose of our troops.

THOMAS EWING, JR.,

Brigadier-General.


HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, ENROLLED MISSOURI MILITIA,
In the Field, Washington, Mo., October 20, 1864.

Brigadier-General EWING,

Saint Louis:

In the matter of depredations by my cavalry and artillery I cannot find more than irregularities arising from ignorance. The horses taken from Tippett are all here and turned over to the quartermaster. The receipt given was signed by quartermaster-sergeant of C Company. There are also eight other horses, two mules, and one wagon. A buggy was taken from near Union by a man named Schilling, of Company B, cavalry, who is now in Saint Louis, and I have ordered his arrest. One officer I have sent to Saint Louis for examination. A great deal of thieving was no doubt done between Saint Louis and Union by different commands, each one striving, by deception and otherwise, to place the stigma on others than that he belonged to. The incompetency of officers in my command is the great evil that I have had to contend with. My command is made up largely of Germans, and it has been very hard to restrain them from depredations on people known as Southern sympathizers, from the fact that their countrymen living in the district through which we have passed have been so badly used by the rebel raiders.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. C. PIKE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District.


HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT,
Saint Louis, Mo., October 20, 1864.

Brigadier-General PIKE,

Washington, Mo.:

Send the National Guards to Saint Louis, with orders to report to Colonel Baker for duty.

By order of Brigadier-General Ewing:

H. HANNAHS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Page 133 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.