Colonel J. C. KELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Missouri.

COLONEL: I have directed Captain Edward Harding, of the Missouri Militia, to superintend the building of block-houses at the Peruque and Salt River bridges on the North Missouri Railroad as recommended by Lieutenant Colonel J. B. McPherson in his report of January 12 to Brigadier-General Cullum. I respectfully request the major-general commanding to give me the authority required by paragraph 905, Army Regulations for 1861, to employ extra-duty men for this purpose.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Brigadier-General.

COLUMBIA, MO., February 3, 1862.

General HALLECK:

I am reminded by the inclosed letter from Doctor Dinwiddie, one of our most intelligent and reliable Union men, of the lamentable fate which awaits the condemned bridge-burners from this county and I join him in the hope that you will commute their punishment. I will make no argument for you have no time to read it if made but will add that the reasons indicated in Doctor Dinwiddie's letter are those which I would amplify, adding further that Colonel Merrill's command here has now in prison the two ring-leaders in the bridge-burning and the captains of the ignorant youths under sentence of death. These leaders' names are Captains Watson and Petty. Merrill's command, now in charge of Lieutenant-Colonel Shaffer, is doing great good for the Union cause here-great indeed, but still hard work to do and are doing it. Very truly,

WM. F. SWITZLER.

[Inclosure.]

GREENLAND, MO., February 2, 1862.

Mr. W. F. SWITZLER.

DEAR SIR: I take the liberty to write you a few lines to try to getyou to use your influence in behalf of those men who are sentenced to execution for burning bridges, &c. Two of these, namely, Stephen Stott and John Patton, were my nearest neighbors and I feel a great deal of sympathy for them and their friends. Each of them have and aged mother, brothers and sisters living in sight of my house with whom I greatly sympathize, and if anything can be done to influence General Halleck or whoever has the power to pardon them or commute their punishment I would be glad to have it done.

My reason for deisring their pardon are many and such as in my estimation ought to have much influence with the authorities if duly considered. First. These men are comparatively ignorant. Neither of these, my neighbors, knows a word of the alphabet, consequently unable to get any information from reading and I am certain that they have been coaxed and persuaded into this matter fraudulently by false representations by wicked and designing men and had they known the consequences or the penalty for such conduct they never would have negaged in it. Secondly. If General Halleck's order had been issued