Today in History:

423 Series I Volume XXXIV-III Serial 63 - Red River Campaign Part III

Page 423 Chapter XLVI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

You will see from the above telegram that General Rosecrans has such information as leads him to have no doubt of Jackman's presence in the neighborhood heretofore indicated. Let Major Leonard promptly execute General Rosecrans' order to the letter, bag and kill the brigand. Let 100 picked men render service to the country by crushing this first guerrilla movement of the reason. Major Leonard will have full power to press into service any man, horse, mule, or gun that will aid him. Secrecy, vigilance, and determination will give us a success.

I am, colonel, your obedient servant,

CLINTON B. FISK,

Brigadier-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, May 3, 1864

Major E. T. ENSIGN,

Ninth Iowa Cavalry:

MAJOR: You will proceed with the two companies under your command by the steam-boat furnished for the purpose and now at the levee, to Hannibal, Mo., at which point you will disembark your command under cover of night,and leave the vicinity of the town with the utmost secrecy and dispatch. You will take especial pains to prevent the members of your command from becoming known. You will take the road to Palmyra, and move to the immediate vicinity of that point. You will establish your headquarters, report your position by telegraph to General Fisk, commanding the district, under whose immediate orders you are to act.

Your special motive is to destroy the bands of guerrillas supposed to be collecting in small squads in that vicinity-the whole force when collected, supposed to be from Quantrill's band. The general commanding desires me to say that your duties are of a delicate and responsible nature, requiring you to exercise great energy, vigilance, and care in their performance. He will confidently rely upon you and the officers under your command to see that your men are held well in hand, kept in good discipline, and that no peaceable inhabitants shall suffer from their presence. At the same time he expects of you that, in the exercise of a sound judgment and discretion, you will act with the utmost rigor of the laws of war in all your dealings with undoubted guerrillas. Should you not find General Fisk at Hannibal telegraph him at Saint Joseph.

O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

STATE OF KANSAS, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Office of Secretary of State, Topeka, May 3, 1864.

Major General S. R. CURTIS:

DEAR GENERAL: In view of the threatened condition of the southern portion of our State by raiders, the defenseless state of affairs here at the capital, the great necessity of preserving the archives of the State, the fact that we are without any sort of militia protection,


Page 423 Chapter XLVI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.