of cotton that Reves had taken from a citizen. Lieutenant Kelley went to Ash Hill. He killed 2 guerrillas, but found no force. They have some 230 men some 10 miles above Pocahontas, but they are all thieves and do not profess to belong to any command except their own. Captain Johns was near them, but Black River was between them. Reves had about 20 men, and had been slaughtering his pork and beef to do him in his next summer's campaign.

He had killed all the stock he could find that belonged to men who even hinted that they wee loyal. He had driven a good many families away since he was defeated. They will have to be exterminated, but we are doing it as fast as we can find them. Guerrillas cannot stay in this or any other part of the State without friends, and their friend swill have to be exterminated also. people here are generally very particular how they act. All honest men rejoice at the killing of jayhawkers, but some few maintain sullen silence; they do not like it at all. I wish to be off again in a few days and will get some more of them. If I could cross the river at Pocahontas I could get to the gang of guerrillas above Pocahontas, but they had destroyed the boats. I will get to them as soon as I possibly can. If we had a force at Pocahontas I could do much better.

Captain Johns learned from the citizens that Colonel Livingston and Shaver had had a fight at Batesville, and that Shaver was badly whipped and Shaver killed; they also say that our troops were gone from Jacksonport, and that General McRae had taken possession of it. I do not know how true this is; I am very certain that Shaver did not have men to attack Batesville, but they may have found him with a small party and killed him. Captain johns reports the most of the people are very tired of the rule of Reves, and wish to move him rom amongst them. I learned a few days since, from a boy, that we had troops at Powahatan, 22 miles below Pocahontas.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. T. LEEPER,

Captain, Commanding Post.

HDQRS. FOURTH SUB-DISTRICT, DIST. OF CENTRAL MO.,
Kansas City, Mo., January 29, 1864.

Brigadier General E. B. BROWN,

Commanding District of Central Missouri:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that pursuant to instructions from you I left Sedalia on Thursday, the 21st instant, with three squadrons of my regiment for this place; arrived here on Wednesday, the 27th. General Ewing will turn over the command to me as soon as I can relieve the Kansas troops. I have ordered Colonel Dodd to send two squadrons directs from Sedalia to Bates County, two to Harrisonville, one to Pleasant Hill. I shall post two squadrons at Independence, one at Hickaman Mills, one at Westport, and three at this post. I find that I am going to be very scarce of transportation, as General Ewing will probably take most of his transportation as infantry, and would respectfully ask that horses may be obtained for them as soon as possible. It is necessary that they all be mounted and drilling. I shall take a complete tour through my sub-district as soon as I take command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. H. FORD,

2nd Colo. Vol. Cav., Commanding 4th Sub-Dist., Central Dist. of Mo.