last there were an aggregate of from 18,000 to 19,000 U. S. volunteers and Missouri State Militia before the arrival of any of the troops sent to the State to operate against Price, and that during those months there were also from 4,000 to 5,000 enrolled militia on duty, making a grand total of from 22,000 to 24,000. I feel safe in saying that the guerrilla warfare will be at least as general and as troublesome this year as it was last, and that there will be need of as many troops as were there then. The most of them should be cavalry because infantry are useless to operate against guerrillas in that country. A large part of the quota of the State under the pending draft can be made up by enlistments in new cavalry regiments for service in the State for one year. The Missouri State Militia cavalry, of whom there are near 10,000 just going out, are the best guerrilla hunters in the West, and will enlist in such service, but will not go into infantry or the general service. They are not subject to draft, but each one is worth more for that service than the average drafted men. I am sure it will not do to rely much on the Enrolled Missouri Militia to protect the people against guerrillas. The State is too poor to pay them, and they are too poor to serve without pay. if the General Government does not give the loyal people in the counties infested by guerrillas at least as much protection as they had last year, the most of them will remove their families from those districts. Then, I think the returned soldiers and other Union men will form bands and kill off or drive out the resident rebels, sympathizers, and neutrals.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS EWING, JR.,

Brigadier-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Numbers 44.
Fort Leavenworth, February 13, 1865.

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7. Th military permits and approvals given to parties trading in stock having been abused or misused by parties receiving them are hereby revoked. All military commanders will arrest and hold in confinement any person who is hereafter guilty of robbing the friendly Indians of their cattle, or in any manner swindling them. No permit will be given to any person to pass through te lines of the Department of the Missouri for the purpose of trade of any kind. All cattle or stock of any kind brought out of the Territory south of this department for sale or speculation will be seized and turned over to the proper staff department, who will hold the stock until the case can be fully investigated at these headquarters.

By order of major-General Dodge:

JOHN WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,

Fort Leavenworth, February 13, 1865.

Colonel FORD, Fort Riley:

Hold the two companies at Fort Larned and send rest of Eleventh Kansas. Give them every horse you can raise. I have got horses on their way to mount your command and troops to replace the Eleventh Kansas.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.