States as the sovereign power) to render obedience to the occupying military authority. If they take up arms in insurrection, or render aid and assistance to the enemy, they become military insurgents or military traitors, and thereby forfeit their lives and property. Every one who was not in arms at the time of the occupation, and who has not continued in arms, but who subsequently takes up arms within the territory militarily occupied by us, is not to be regarded as a prisoner of war, but is to be punished as a military insurgent. So every one, be he a citizen of Missouri or not, who comes within our lines as a non-combatant, and afterward takes up arms, is a military insurgent. If he comes in disguise, the law presumes him to be a spy. All persons guilty of such offenses forfeit their lives. As flags of truce are frequently used to cover the operations of spies, they should never be permitted within our lines.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

CAMP AT BLOOMFIELD,

March 17, 1863.

Brigadier-General DAVIDSON,

Commanding Saint Louis District, Mo.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that the alarm at Chalk Bluff the other night was partly groundless. Our company the next day moved back to Four Mile, and our scouts have since discovered that there were only on the night before last about 300 men, but these were making preparation for a larger force. I have scouted toward Poplar Bluff, but hear nothing of Marmaduke in that direction. It is doubtful whether he can cross the Cane Swamp with his artillery. Six companies of the First Wisconsin are here. The other command and Welfley's battery will be up to-day. I shall try to cross a dashing party of my own regiment into Arkansas from some of the islands, while I amuse them at the river with a strong force, and bag all that are there. This, however, will depend on the report of my scouts and spies. If Marmaduke approaches, he can scarcely be in fighting trim after his march through a desolated country. I will attack him with my entire force at some advantageous position. Any field is better than the chances of defending this place without works. Our intrenching tools have not come up yet, and I have no advice of them. There are not spades and picks enough in all his country, outside of a small supply in my regiment, to dig the graves of the poor devils that inhabit it as they die. We have a floating bridge over the Castor, and, now I have the men, I shall restore that over Whitewater. The road to the Cape has been made quite passable. I pressed the inhabitants into the work. I would respectfully ask the assignment of an assistant quartermaster and a commissary for this post, and that it be made a depot of supplies. The force here being mostly cavalry, their teams will have to forage for them. What I can spare for my own regiment will scarcely do its commissariat transportation. The sleek mules and lazy drivers at the Cape seem infected with all the post vices, and to be very capable in doing nothing. Either these supplies should be here or my authority should extend there. I will cure them if they come into my hands. My regimental commissary is sick at the Cape, which keeps me moving on one