[Inclosure.]

ANDERSON'S STORE, W. VA.,

January 29, 1864.

To Brigadier General B. F. KELLEY, greeting:

We, your humble petitioners, being all loyal citizens, pray to be heard in behalf of our present perilous situation.

First. We represent that we live immediately on the border. That we are daily, or, more properly speaking, nightly, exposed to rebel hordes of guerrillas, who infest the mountains and pounce upon us when and while we are unable to protect ourselves in any degree. There are several roads leading from the settlements into the mountains, any and all of which are used by them in making their raids among us.

Second. The manner of making their raids: The come in quietly and are received by the rebel sympathizers, and then from 10 to 20 armed rebels dash upon the citizens in the dead hours of the night, robbing them of whatever valuables may be found, consisting of money, bedclothes, wearing apparel, even down to ladies' dresses and children's shoes and stockings. Some families have been reduced to want in this way. They have even taken the last knife and fork in some instances. They begin the work of robbing as they go out of the neighborhood, and before we can possibly get help they are gone. They have already got nearly every Union horse for several miles round where yu petitioners live.

Third. We anticipate worse now soon. We expect the next thing that our cattle will be driven off, as it has been done in the adjoining county (Braxton).

Fourth. The remedy; The only remedy we can conceive of is to have a company or two of men stationed at two points along the line. One company stationed on the head of the West Fork, where they could watch and guard the roads and passes infested by these guerrillas. In like manner let a company be stationed at Centreville, Upshur County, there being a way from that point to the mountains. That is the point of attack where the Upshur County militia were captured.

Fifth. Now let Company A of Tenth Virginia Volunteer Infantry be placed on the head of the West Fork, in Lewis County. That company was mostly raised in that locality, and are well acquainted with the roads leading to the mountains, and can therefore be much more efficient than strangers can be. The same as it regards Company B, same regiment, who were raised in the locality of Centreville. They are well acquainted with the roads and guerrilla haunts.

Lastly, our young and able- bodied men have nearly all gone into the Government service. There are but a very few men, except grey- heads and invalids, left.

Now, we do humbly ask (if it can be done without prejudice to the General Government) you to send the aforesaid Companies A and B to the aforesaid points, and we will continue to show our loyalty, as we have hitherto done, by doing all we can in support of the Government and the suppression of the rebellion.

J. BOUSE,

[And 31 others].