aging enlistments, using all their influence to prevent from entering the service, and to respectfully inquire whether such practices cannot be prevented. Are the President's proclamation of 1862, relative to "discouraging enlistments," and the orders of the Secretary of War based thereon still in force? Colonel Amasa Cobb, Member of Congress, informs me that he was told at the office of the Provost-Marshal-General at Washington that the same were in full force. If there are so, I respectfully request that I may be furnished a copy of each; and whether they are rescinded or not, I request that I may be authorized to arrest some of those most prominent in this disloyal practice. I am fully convinced that if they were thus dealt with the effect would be salutary. It is utterly futile to threaten them. Nothing but prompt arrest and confinement will prevent this class from doing all the mischief possible.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN G. CLARK,

Captain and Provost-Marshal, Third District of Wisconsin.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THIRD DIST. OF WISCONSIN,

Prairie du Chien, August 22, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel CHARLES S. LOVELL,

Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal-General, Madison, Wis.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that after thorough inquiry I am assured that not only is nothing being done in Benton and the neighboring towns, and in Mineral Point and the neighboring towns, to fill their respective quotas, but that on the other hand enlistments are being discouraged, and that there are in each of those places organizations for the purpose of resisting the draft, and moreover that they are arming themselves for that purpose. Benton has procured its arms from Galena. Those to Mineral Point have been sent from some place east, as they have passed through Darlington on the cars. How formidable these organizations are I am not prepared to say, although assured by many of the best men in the country that they have assumed huge proportions, and that in case of a draft there will be bloodshed, or in case of an attempt to arrest deserters in the disaffected localities. I am not prepared to believe all that is said. I would, however, recommend that fifty men be stationed at Benton, La Fayette County, and that they be sent by rail to East Fork Station, on Galena and Chicago Railroad, which is within six or eight miles of Benton, and that when the draft road, comes off twenty soldiers be sent to Mineral Point, not only to insure the reporting of the drafted men but to protect the officer issuing notices, and that they be sent by rail. And also twenty soldiers be sent to these headquarters a few days before the draft commences, with orders to remain until the examination of drafted men and substitutes shall have been completed, for the purpose of maintaining order and quite and guarding soldiers (drafted men and substitutes) to general rendezvous, for it will be utterly impossible for the small detachment on duty here to attend to all the duties necessarily devolving upon them during that busy season.

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

JOHN G. CLARK,

Captain and Provost-Marshal, Third District of Wisconsin.