troops at Aubrey to scut the country opposite there in Missouri thoroughly. There are about 200 of these guerrillas, under Henry Taylor, who intend to stay in the adjacent counties of Missouri if they can. The balance are making for the Sni Hills and North Missouri. They are passing up rapidly, and it would be well to concentrate more troops on the border if possible. The Fifteenth [Kansas] is almost dismounted, and of course nearly useless without horses.

CHAS. W. BLAIR,

Colonel.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, May 6, 1865.

Colonel BLAIR:

Has the section of Second Kansas Battery which was ordered to Fort Smith left yet?

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

FORT SCOTT, KANS., May 6, 1865.

Major-General DODGE, Saint Louis, Mo.:

It has started, but is some place between here and Kansas City.

CHAS. W. BLAIR,

Colonel.

PAOLA, May 6, 1865.

Colonel BLAIR:

Commanding officer at Coldwater Grove informs me that his men killed a bushwhacker night before last, and he told the arty that Quantrill and Porter were on the Blue with about eighty men. Commanding officer at Aubrey received information while on a scout that the troops were driving Quantrill out of the Sni Hill. I will send scouts out immediately.

A. J. LUMSDEN,

Captain, Commanding Post.

HDQRS. FIST SUB-DISTRICT OF SOUTH KANSAS,
Fort Scott, Kans., May 6, 1865.

Captain T. I. HURD,

Commanding Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry:

SIR: On Monday next you will proceed to Humboldt and take temporary command of the troops in Allen County. You will see that all soldiers are held strictly inc amp on Wednesday, the 10th, instant, the day of the election for the establishment of the county seat. Interference with said election by the soldiers has been apprehended by the Governor and he has requested that measures be taken to prevent the same. You will therefore hold the men closely in camp, allowing none to leave it or go near the place of holding the election on any pretense, unless some of them be legal voters, in which case they will be permitted to simply go and deposit their votes and return. I am informed that none o the soldiers there are citizens of that county. You must be thoroughly satisfied that they are legal voters before you allow them

22 R R-VOL XLVIII, PT II