whole expedition. Colonel Sypher's report is looked for with much interest. * Whitaker's father should be arrested at once, and he should not be permitted to reside any longer in that region of country. It is for you to decide whether charges of aiding and abetting the enemy can be substantiated against him. If thought not, he should at least be held as a hostage for the further conduct of his son. Burnley's case also should receive immediate attention.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. J. MALONEY,

First Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS NORTHERN SUB-DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
Harrisburg, Poinsett County, April 12, 1865.

Major-General REYNOLDS, U. S. Army,

Commanding U. S. Forces in Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark.:

GENERAL: The inclosed papers in reference to outrages committed by the Federal troops in the neighborhood of Clarksville, Ark., have been sent to me from district headquarters, with instructions to take action to bring the perpetrators of such infamy to justice. It might be useless to make demands of the immediate officers of such men, and therefore I hope you will pardon me for sending the charges direct to your headquarters and requesting you to issue such orders in the premises as will wipe out this stain from your flag. I will not presume to make suggestions, but leave the matter entirely to your sense of justice and humanity, for such horrid crimes as are related in the inclosed statements will surely sicken the heart and rouse the indignation of every gentleman in your army, and if the guilty parties can be discovered I feel assured that you will properly punish such fiends or turn them over to me for punishment. I would be pleased to know your action in the matter, that I may know whether other steps will be necessary to carry out the instructions from my superior officers.

I have the honor to be, yours, most respectfully, &c.,

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,

February 16, 1865.

Colonel E. P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have just finished reading a letter from Mrs. Swagerty, of Johnson County, Ark., to her husband, Major Swagerty, of McNair's brigade. The lady is personally known to me, and I put implicit faith in her statement. She describes the conduct of the Federals in the neighborhood of Clarksville since Brooks fired on the boats as perfectly fiendish. Even the persons of the ladies are outraged. I make this extract from her letter, and while it is modestly said, it has its terrible significance:

Mr. Harris escaped being killed, and has gone south. Tell him his wife was greatly abused, but will recover; Mrs. Major Thompson, it is thought, will not. These things are too horrible to write or think of.

* See Part I, p. 172.