always wanted Captain McElroy. General, you will excuse this, for I am able to sit up but little, but I am a little better, and think I will be well in a few days. I wish you to talk to Colonel Joslyn all about these things.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. T. LEEPER,

Captain, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI,
Warrensburg, Mo., March 13, 1864.

Major O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Saint Louis, Mo.:

MAJOR: I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the major-general, commanding, General Orders, No. 12,* from these headquarters, requiring the citizens to organize companies for local police duty. The few guerrillas and bandits in the country are in parties of from 2 to 15; though active scouts on foot in the brush and mounted in the more open country have killed several of them in the past twenty days, and will eventually clear the country of them, yet it fails to inspire confidence and self-reliance in the people, and it is deemed best to form these organizations immediately. The enrollment of the Enrolled Missouri Militia would be sufficient in the populous districts if it was or could be completed soon enough to meet the present emergency, but this would fail to afford the necessary protection in the more sparsely settled districts, as the majority of able-bodied citizens who are liable to military duty have entered one of the armies, while the exempts, with those who would pay, not fight, would leave few or none for military service. These reasons will explain why I have thought it was necessary to make a general organization of the citizens of the district before the militia enrollment was completed. There is this objection to a volunteer organization: The people fear the vengeance of the bushwhackers, and say they would be exposed to being made victims if they join in an attempt to drive them out, and in many localities no combined action could be had, unless it is compelled by military orders. So far as I can learn the order meets with general approval with the people, and in some cases similar organizations have been concurred in by the general commanding.

I am, very truly, your obedient servant,

E. B. BROWN,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., March 13, 1864.

Captain JACOB CASSAIRT,

Commanding Co. L. 8th Mo. State Mil. Cav., near Forsyth, Mo.:

Captain Owen, assistant quartermaster, has constructed a ferry-boat at the mouth of Roaring River, which he will float down to Forsyth. A party of 20 soldiers will start down with the boat on the morning of the 17th instant, taking their arms upon the boat with

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* See p.568.

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