singular-singular in this, that Holzclaw should go up into Grundy County, north of us, upon a raid of that kind and choose a community for the scene of his operations which was noted for the number of these kind of lawless men it contained. These men literally brought the bushwhackers in there. It might be supposed that they would desist from a course attended with such results, but, to use the language of Doctor Coggswell, one of the most rampant in that locality, "we have begun the work of running the rebels off, and there is no use talking, we will never have peace while one of them is left in the county." This is but too indicative of the policy of these men. Those whom they style rebels are not those merely who are in arms, or those who may be found harboring, concealing, or feeding them, but any one who ever has been in the rebel service, any one who ever was arrested and put under oath and bond by the military, any one whom rumor has set down as a Southern sympathizer, any one who voted the conservative ticket at the last election, any one who opposes their mad and lawless schemes, and, lastly, any one who won't halloo for Jim Lane. This last might create a smile upon the countenance of one who did not know the actual condition of things in these northern counties, but it is only about a year ago since a quiet and peaceable citizen was shot dead in the street in Pleasant Plains, just on the edge of Mercer County, on the Iowa State line, because he refused to halloo for Jim Lane when ordered to do so. Many have been insulted, whipped, shot at, and abused because they refused to halloo when ordered to do so. Some of our best citizens and most loyal men have been treated in this way.

At present I understand there is an effort being made to get a company of men armed and put on duty up there. A company of good men under good, firm, and prudent officers would do much toward restoring quiet and peace in that county; but that is not the class of men it is sought to arm and put on duty. Officers and men are all of the opposite stripe, and should they be put on duty it will only make things worse instead of better. The best men of county will leave; they are talking of it now, and should this company be armed it will determine their course. I understand a petition has been sent forward to General Fisk. The name of Captain Haycroft, of your regiment, is on that petition, but he don't want what the petition asks for. He could not refuse, however, to put his name to it. The man who would refuse to sign a petition when presented in a certain form had better be leaving. You are aware of how this is by the attempt that was made some time ago to get petition signed to prohibit the sale of intoxicating drinks. Good men were afraid to circulate those petitions, and in Mercer, where the good men wanted the same order issued, threats were made of what would be done to any one who would circulate such a petition. To arm one class of citizens and legalize their organizations, who breathe nothing but vengeance and slaughter against another class, is evidently as unwise and impolitic as it is unjust. Could such a company of men as Captain Francis, with such an officer to command them, be sent into that county until after the elections, I think the effect would be good. Of course at the first and for a good while a certain class of men would howl, but all good citizens would hail such a thing with delight.

I have already drawn this out to an extent beyond what I anticipated at starting, but I cannot close without adverting to the language held by Judge De Bolt while passing through here in command of a company of independent militia. Some four companies had arrived in town that evening. No commissary stores had arrived, but I had a pretty