of all their camp equipage and provisions, which he burned, as he had no means of carrying the same to camp. He then returned to camp. I received an order from you for Colonel Huston to station one company of his command at Miami. I do not understand it to be an order for me to send one of the companies of my command there. If it is so intended, please order to that effect.

If you would allow me to suggest I would say that Cambridge is, in my judgment, the place by all means to station a company, as there is their main crossing place, and decidedly the most suitable place to effect the good of the General Government. Such is my honest opinion. If one of the companies of my command is taken from here I can do but little scouting. My force is too small as it is. I ought by all means to have one more company, as we have got the rebels waked up, and if I could have one company, or a part of a company, of infantry stationed here that would enable me to keep all, or nearly all, of my men in field, but as it is I have to keep 50 or 60 in camp for guards. I am fully satisfied that if you were as well acquainted with the crossings and ranges of the rebels here as I am you would station one company at Cambridge instead of at Miami. Please let me hear from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours, respectfully,

DAVID McKEE,

Major Seventh Cavalry Missouri Volunteers, Commanding Post.

Brigadier General JAMES TOTTEN,

Commanding Central District Missouri, Jefferson City, Mo.

MARSHALL, SALINE COUNTY, MO.,

June 9, 1862.

SIR: Yours of the 5th instant is before me. I have the honor to report to you what has been done by my command since I arrived at this post. The first night after my arrival at this place a citizen came to my camp, informing me that he had been robbed of money, horse, all his wearing apparel, and bed-clothing. I immediately ordered out a scout of 75 men, under the command of Captain Winters. They had to travel 20 miles before they got in the vicinity of the depredation, and most of the thieves eluded my men, but one of the guerrillas had his horse shot under him in making his escape. Being close to the brush he made good his escape, but many guns and pistols were captured, also several notoriously bad men, besides a number of noisy rebels ordered to report. Since that time I have kept two-thirds of my command in the country infested by these lawless bands. They have scoured the bluffs and river bottom thoroughly, but have never succeeded in catching them in their camps, but have come upon several of their camps soon after they have left them.

The country seems to be full of these bands, but they are generally in small companies, from 10 to 15 in a company. Their object seems to be not to attack us, but to steal, murder, and commit all manner of depredations upon the loyal citizens of the country. I find this kind of citizens scarce, but they seem wiling to lend a helping hand to ferret out these men; but the rebels in this vicinity are bitter and vindictive, and it will take some time to teach them submission to the Federal authorities. My late scouts killed 1 man, wounded 3, and ran 1 into the river, who was drowned, besides capturing a number of their prisoners.