of people at Louisville; not one company organized. Indiana militia assembling at Jeffersonville, but hesitate about leaving the State. He hopes to hear from you.

C. H. POTTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

COLUMBUS, June 11, 1864.

Major-General HEINTZELMAN,

Spencer House:

The following dispatch just been received:

LOUISVILLE, June 11, 1864.

Captain C. H. POTTER:

Operator at Lexington telegraphs that rebels are again entering town. The circuit is broken. We hope to force the way to Frankfort to-night. Cannot the regiments at Cincinnati and Covington waiting muster-out be pushed down that line?

H. B. CARRINGTON,

Brigadier-General.

C. H. POTTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[JUNE 11, 1864. - For Sturgis to Washburn, reporting operations, &c., see Part I, p. 88.]

U. S. S. MOOSE, Smithland, Ky., June 11, 1864.

Rear-Admiral DAVID D. PORTER,

Commanding MISSISSIPPI Squadron:

SIR: I think I have ascertained the cause of so many guerrillas being in this part of Kentucky. Most of the guerrilla parties now up the Cumberland are composed of men who were drafted for our service. They are now only showing their true colors, and say if they must fight at all they will fight for Jeff. Davis; consequently they have run from the draft and gone into the guerrilla service. Many have joined the guerrillas at Uniontown and vicinity, I am told, in consequence of some gross outrages that was said to have been committed in that neighborhood by a Colonel Cunningham, from Paducah. It is reported that he went up it that section of country with a lot of negro soldiers, and sent them on shore to conscript every negro they could find. These negroes, it is reported, were sent on shore armed and without an officer with them, entered private houses, broke open the doors, and entered ladies' bedrooms before they were up, insulted women, and plundered and searched generally. If this has be as reported, it is certainly a gross outrage and disgrace to our cause. I will, on my way up, stop and see if I can ascertain the truth of the matter. It was said that a gun-boat convoyed them up. None of our gun-boats convoyed them or would countenance such disgraceful proceedings; on the contrary, they would have forced respect to women. On my way down I found the people so frightened and excited that to set them aright I thought it only justice to ourselves to send them a communication, of which the inclosed is a copy. *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LE ROY FITCH,

Lieutenant-Commander.

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*Not found.

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