HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT,
Saint Louis, Mo., November 6, 1864.

Colonel GALE,

Commanding Post, Franklin, Mo.:

The Eighteenth U. S. Colored and the Twenty-fourth Missouri Volunteers must be in Saint Louis by 7 o'clock tomorrow morning.

By order of Brigadier-General Ewing:

H. HANNAHS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, November 6, 1864.

General EWING:

I have received no official dispatch concerning the affair at Charleston. The telegraph operator informs me that while Captain Diehl was at breakfast yesterday morning some twenty guerrillas made a dash into town and wounded Captain D. seriously, 1 man slightly, and captured 8 men. They then left without doing further damage. From what I can learn most od Diehl's horsemen were on a scout. The eight prisoners were taken out of town some seven miles, robbed of everything of any value, and then sent back. They report the the guerrilla force to be some sixty strong, under Colonel Birthright-as new man. I sent thirty men, under Lieutenant Rathbun, to Charleston at once. They arrived there at 3 .m., and started with what force Diehl could furnish on the trail of the rebels last evening. I will advise you as soon as I hear from them.*

H. M. HILLER

Lieutenant-Colonel.

ChARLESTON, Mo., November 6, 1864.

Colonel H. M. HILLER,

Commanding, Cape Girardeau, Mo.:

COLONEL: Captain Edwards overtook the rebels four miles from Sikeston and killed 15 and took 5 prisoners. I came up with a small squad of rebels and killed 5. The rebels are scattered in small bands of five or six, and apparently trying to get out of the State. The Enrolled Missouri Militia acted splendidly.

E. G> RATHBUN, First Lieutenant, Commanding Expedition.

ROLL, November 6, 1864 - 6 p.m.

Colonel JOHN V. Du BOIS,

Chief of Staff:

Strength of regiments and detachments in Rolla District, stick and absentees, with leave, excepted:Forty-fourth Regiment Missouri Infantry Volunteers, Colonel R. C. Bradshaw, 26 commissioned officers, 640 enlisted men; Forty-eighth Missouri Infantry Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel W. H. BLODGETT, 24 commissioned officers, 611 enlisted men; First Regiment Infantry Missouri State Militia, Major Charles Biehle, 8 commissioned officers, 144 enlisted men; First Regiment Cavalry Mis-

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* See Part I, p. 907.

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