command of Lieutenant Blanking. Orders are to cross the river, which I am now doing, and report to you for orders. If I receive no orders from you here I will move to Glasgow and there await further orders.

JAMES W. McFADEN,

Captain, Commanding.

LEXINGTON, November 18, 1864.

General FISK:

My command has crossed to the north side of the river. I will remain at this place until I receive orders from you. Please answer.

JAMES W. McFADEN,

Captain, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS,
Brunswick, Mo., November 18, 1864.

General CLINTON B. FISK,

Commanding District of North Missouri, Macon City, Mo.:

GENERAL: I am still at this post, and think I could find business enough to do for the next six months if I had authority in hunting up and collecting the forfeited bonds of this section of the country. I find that Captain Hawkins, of the bushwhacking fraternity, and Captain Ryder and Jim anderson and a notorious thief by the name of Jim Harris, are all in the vicinity of this place, circulating on the south side of the river in Saline County. The first-named captain has fifty-three men, and his family lives in the vicinity of the river some ten miles southeast, on south side of Missouri River. Ryder has twenty-five men and lives only eight miles from Brunswick, in Saline County, five men and lives only eight miles from Brunswick, in Saline County, making headquarters with his farther and other rebels in that locality. He comes up to the river daily to make observations. Jim Anderson lives or makes headquarters farther from the river, and this Jim harris operates with Ryder. Jim Jackson is on this side the river, and I think I will be able to make his hiding place known in a few days. Ryder's men last night captured two boxes of shoes, one box of boots, and one box of ready-made clothing, shipped from Saint Louis by Judge McDaniels, a noted rebel of Saline County, and shipped to Mitchell Bell, rebel preacher of Miami. The boat landed and left the goods and Ryder and Harris took them. This is their plan for shoeing and clothing the bushwhacking whelps. The money robbed from Union men is taken to pay for these things. I would like authority to go into Saline County and clean up a small portion of that territory. I know I could prepare it for a new installment of settlers. The whole rebel element seems to have taken a sudden fit in the way of moving. They have hardly any men, but the women are now on the move with bag and baggage. Bushwhackers are said to be concentrating now for a raid this side, and yesterday 150 were in a body at a place four miles from the ferry. I have men enough to operate well if you say go ahead. I will keep my men in good discipline and straight, but they are anxious for a muss, and I am somewhat in that fix. I shall give the country east and west on the river a good discipline and straight, but they are anxious for a muss, and I am somewhat in that fix. I shall give the country east and west on the river a good raking over, and may get tempted over the river if I see game. I can imagine that Saline County is in the District of North Missouri. What shall I do with conscripts? Lots of them are making their appearance; all of them noted rebels.