purpose, they broke or burst everything before them. A gentleman by the name of Fox is the owner of the farm upon which these refugees have found an asylum. Here they have built a rude fort for protection, hoping some change may take place or some protection be afforded them; but if not, they must entirely abandon the country, as many, less courageous, have already done. There is no food for man of beast above Fox's though a beautiful crop of corn and other things were raised. Captain Read went 100 miles up the Republican, and all along the route saw the ashes of burnt corn and houses and the fragments of broken and destroyed property. The principal object of these marauders appears to have been to drive out the settlers by plunder and outrage, and prevent pursuit by destroying everything they could not carry off. The thriving settlements around Lake Sibley and White Rock are entirely abandoned. Captain Read described the country over which he passed as very fertile as well as beautiful, and capable of sustaining a dense population. The timber on the numerous tributaries of this stream is very abundant, and, could the settlers remain there unmolested, it would soon vie with any portion of the State. There are two salt springs in successful operation near the residence of Mr. Fox, and a good article of salt is produced. I much regret the removal of Companies G and I, Ninth Regiment, from this post will prevent me from affording that protection to the people which they need and desire. But I assure you, major, I shall be untiring in my endeavors to shield them, though the small force I can spare without endangering the safety of this post will be entirely inadequate for the purpose.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN E. STEWART,

Captain Company C, Ninth Kansas Volunteers, Commanding Post.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTY-SECOND IOWA INFANTRY,
New Madrid, Mo., December 6, 1862.

Brigadier General E. A. CARR,

Saint Louis, Commanding Southeastern Missouri:

GENERAL: Under your orders, I left Saint Louis on the 25th ultimo with part of my regiment, and stopped over at Cape Girardeau from the evening of the 26th ultimo until the morning of the 1st instant, arranging the companies left there. Major G. A. Eberhart, of the Thirty-second Iowa, commands that post. Lieutenant Bannon is provost-marshal.

I found a state of affairs there that in some respects was unsatisfactory. The Germans as a class and some few others are fully loyal. The loyal citizens of that place and vicinity are much dissatisfied with the appointment of General Stockton over the Enrolled Missouri Militia of that district. I think they will never acquiesce, nor to I believe he will ever aid the Government or really sustain it. I had no intercourse with him, and am reliably informed that he has not usually called on parties commanding loyal troops. I look upon his appointment as very injudicious. What bad results may follow remains for the future to show. I arrived at this point on the evening of the 3rd instant. I have endeavored to inform myself respecting the state of affairs in this section. I have already learned that, with the exception of Captain Moore's company of Illinois Cavalry, the troops here have been and still are quite popular with the rebels. Matters at this post have gone at loose ends to a degree that rendered our troops quite a convenience to the rebels.