SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Numbers 323.
Saint Louis, Mo., November 21, 1864.

1. Brigadier General Thomas Ewing, jr., U. S. Volunteers, is hereby relieved from the command of the Saint Louis District of this department, and will repair without delay to Rolla, Mo., assuming command of the Rolla District.

* * *

By command of Major-General Rosecrans:

FRANK ENO,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT, Numbers 56.
Saint Louis, Mo., November 21, 1864.

In accordance with Special Orders, Numbers 321, dated headquarters Department of the Missouri, I hereby assume temporary command of the District of Saint Louis. The following are announced as additional officer upon the district staff, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly, viz: Captain W. M. Taylor, commissary of subsistence and acting aide-de-camp; Captain W. M. Taylor, commissary of subsistence and acting aide-de-camp; First Lieutenant G. H. Thompson, First New Hampshire Cavalry, aide-de-camp; First Lieutenant C. Thomson, First New York Cavalry, aide-de-camp and acting assistant adjutant-general. Until further orders all existing orders and instructions will remain in force.

A. PLEASONTON,

Major-General.

PARKVILLE, PLATTE COUNTY, MO.,

November 21, 1864.

Major-General ROSECRANS,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

DEAR SIR: I take the liberty, in behalf of Union citizens, to ask your attention to the dangers surrounding us. Last Saturday and night a squad of bushwhackers commenced robbing near Clay and Platte line, and came around near Parkville. They stole eleven horses and loaded them down with plunder and led them off. They evidently went back into Clay, as much of the plunder was taken apparently for rebel families. Their operations were mostly in the German settlement. One man was shot after he was taken prisoner, and since died. Another was knocked down, and some were wounded and taken prisoners. Part of the squad were from Jackson County. Gregg was leader. We learn Clay County is swarming with guerrillas and the people are mostly rebel. I fear they are concentrating in these thickets. We have no troops here and we need forty or fifty mounted men stationed permanently here. If troops come and go away the guerrillas come right in after them, and we would say that nearly all our able-bodied men are in the Union Army. Over 300 have been furnished from here, and it seems hard to leave their families to be plundered, and we ask you, for the sake of these families, as well as justice and protection to the citizens here, to give a few soldiers. Our Union men enlisted because they had no security, and many are now moving away. This place is surrounded by rebels and has suffered. It is evident that security cannot be given to farmers scattered through the country by troops, as these fiends are harbored by

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