into Pleasant Hill use him for The purpose and report to me. I intend to move headquarters to Lexington this week if I can. Keep me posted.

HARDING.

KANSAS CITY, March 27, 1865.

General McNEIL,

Warrensburg:

Dispatches received. Will move to Lexington as soon as business on hand can be settled-probably Friday or Saturday. I do not think The quartermaster and commissary can be removed with advantage. Stage line from Independence to Pleasant Hill will soon be resumed. None of The troops ordered by General Dodge have reported yet. I have compelled citizens at Hickman Mills to join organization for their own defense. Have notified Pleasant Hill about The guerrillas scattering. I think my force as now ordered will be enough to make The sub-district secure for The summer. I will commence when The re-enforcements report.

CHESTER HARDING, Jr.,

Colonel, &c.

HERMITAGE, MO., March 27, 1865.

Brigadier-General SANBORN,

Commanding District of Southwest Missouri:

SIR: Permit me to have The honor to call your attention to The fact that rebels and rebel sympathizers are committing deeds of violence in Benton County, Mo., in The vicinity of Barclay's Mills. Mr. Barclay, The man who owns those mills, and whose loyalty cannot be doubted, has been intruded upon so much by some of his disloyal neighbors that he is now afraid to stay at home. They have also tried to prevent negroes from living in that vicinity, and have threatened to run them out of The county, and also have made threats against all persons keeping negroes about them. There was also a negro man and family (moving north) robbed of all their money and a part of their plunder on or about The 14th instant within four or five miles of The mills and ordered to proceed on their way in all haste or they would be killed.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM Q. PAXTON,

First Sergeant, Eighth Missouri State Militia Cavalry, and

Recruiting Officer Fourteenth Missouri Volunteer Cavalry.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, April 3, 1865.

Respectfully referred to Captain T. B. Sutherland, Fifteenth Missouri Cavalry, commanding at Humansville, for examination and report.

By order of Brigadier-General Sanborn:

WM. T. KITTREDGE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Second indorsement.]

POST HUMANSVILLE, MO., April 8, 1865.

[Brigadier-General SANBORN:]

GENERAL: In compliance with The above order I make The following report: I sent Sergeant Howard and six men (The said sergeant is a reliable man)