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

Page 597 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

army will designate it in orders as "a separate brigade," and a copy of such order will accompany the proceedings of any general court-martial convened by such brigade commander. Without such authority, commanders of posts and districts having no brigade organization will not convene general court-martial,.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SAINT LOUIS, November 17, 1864-8.10 p. m.

Colonel D. MOORE,

Saint Charles:

March your command to-morrow to Saint Louis, and go into camp at Camp Gamble. Send an officer ahead to warn me of your approach.

A. J. SMITH.

SAINT CHARLES, November 17, 1864-8.50 p. m.

Major General A. J. SMITH:

SIR: Your dispatch has been received. The troops are all over the river, and the train will be over to-night.

Very respectfully,

D. MOORE,

Colonel, Commanding Third Division, Sixteenth Army Corps.

JEFFERSON CITY, November 17, 1864.

Colonel JOHN V. DU BOIS:

Part of Colonel Philips' regiment, Seventh Missouri State Militia, is now arriving. The remainder will be here probably to-morrow. Colonel Crittenden wishes to know whether he shall wait for boats from Saint Louis to ship all his command at once, or ship as boats arrive, or march from here.

S. H. MELCHER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI,
Warrensburg, November 17, 1864.

Captain J. F. BENNETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Missouri:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to represent that I am petitioned strongly by citizens in different portions of the district to station troops at their county seats. The most urgent among these are the people of Marshall and Lexington. The force in the district is small, and it would be impossible to garrison many towns. My judgment, founded on experience, is strongly against the policy of splitting up cavalry commands and distributing them by squadrons in every town in the country. It breaks down the discipline of the troops and destroys their efficiency. Such small forces can only act on the defensive, and, as the


Page 597 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.