were deserters from Shelby's command, and were intending to bushwhack when arrested. They are now confined in military prison at this post.

T. H. WEST,

Lieutenant-Colonel 135th Illinois.

SAINT JOSEPH, MO., August 6, 1864.

Colonel O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General;

Colonel Catherwood is in the Fishing River region below Liberty with 300 men, and 150 of the First Iowa veterans are now moving down from Plattsburg in the same direction. The force at Richmond and Platte City are co-operating with them, and that section will be made a very hot place for guerrillas to camp in. We are raking the brush day and night. A detachment of Seventeenth Illinois killed one bushwhacker near Farley. Major David Cranor of the Enrolled Missouri Militia, reports a fight with them near Platte City to-day. No particulars received.

CLINTON B. FISK.

Brigadier-General.

WESTON, August 6, 1864.

General FISK:

SIR: I sent a scout of twenty men, under Captain Le Clair, last night down nearly opposite Leavenworth City, between the Big Creek and Olathe River. About midnight they ran into a number of mounted bushwhackers and had a running fight, with one rebel killed and one horse captured. No casualties on our side. The scouting party have not returned, but are continuing the chase under Captain McReynolds, whom I sent forward with re-enforcements.

H. HILLIARD,

Major, Commanding Post.

HDQRS. FOURTH PROV. Regiment ENROLLED MO. MILITIA,
Chillicothe, Mo., August 6, 1864.

General CLINTON B. FISK,

Saint Joseph, Mo.:

GENERAL: As I telegraphed you yesterday, I have assumed command here in obedience to your orders, and will while you make it my duty to remain, devote my whole time and energies to the work assigned me. I am well aware of the difficulties of the position, and if left to my own choice would have selected almost any other that could be named, but in these perilous times one should not consult his own preferences, nor even his own interests but should, if necessary, be willing to offer himself a sacrifice on the altar of his country. It was my fortune, or rather misfortune, to be in command here from early in August to the last of December, 1862, covering the period of the elections of that year. I was then under the immediate command of General (now Governor) Hall, who is acquainted with the difficulties I had to encounter. The experiences of that period will not enable me to avoid the