to-morrow night; but I will see. I give, as a reason for remaining, disappointment in receiving letters-in fact, a truth. I shall leave here in such a way as to be welcomed back if necessary.

I remain, sir, very respectfully,

EDWARD F. HOFFMAN.

DETROIT, MICH., July 2, 1864.

Colonel J. P. SANDERSON, U. S. Army:

SIR: I have the honor to state that, not having heard from you as expected, but having heard from my family, I resolved to leave Dayton, Ohio, this morning for this city, which I reached at 6. 30 p. m. I am too much fatigued to make much of a report to-night.

I left Dayton promising to return in a few weeks. On the train coming north from Dayton I formed the acquaintance of a young man named Pierson, a son of Judge Pierson, of Troy, the country seat of Miami County, twenty miles north of Dayton. Young Pierson is a stock dealer, talented and acute, but as I was from Missouri I had no trouble in "picking his lock. " Miami County is Republican by 1,400 majority, but yet the "butternuts" have a strong secret organization in Troy. They are well armed with revolvers and carbines and spend much time in drilling. They meet on Monday nights now. Their place of meeting, like that of those in Dayton, is over a saloon, of which I forget the name. Such a place is well chosen, for they can enter a saloon without being suspected. Young P. says they are "in for anything. " says they will resist the draft, and when I spoke of a Western confederacy he thought it "just the thing," but knew but little about it, seemingly. He says his father is the leader of the Democracy in Miami County. His partner in stock dealing, Dolady, a Virginian, is a member of the "S. L.," but the leader of the organization in Troy is a man named Nelson Culp, also a Virginian. Their arms are purchased in Cincinnati, Ohio, by a merchant of Troy (too much noise to get his name or that of the saloon referred to before) and secreted in dry goods, and thereby avid detection. He said he was not a member himself, as he was at home but little, but his necktie belied what he said, as a red, white, and red, or red necktie is a badge of membership. Only the leaders of this organization, like those in all others, know its true aims and objects. The masses know s little of them as the privates of Grant's army know of his plans of campaigns. Such men as Wilson and Troutman, of Hamilton, leaders and trusty, know the great object.

Young Pierson gave me a pressing invitation to visit his father, who has four grown sons-all "butternuts. " I have just found a scent of the "butternuts" in Detroit. I will give particulars to-morrow.

Respectfully,

E. F. H.

DETROIT, MICH., July 3, 1864.

Colonel J. P. SANDERSON, Saint Louis, Mo. ;

SIR: I have the honor to state that I have formed the acquaintance of Jacob Higginbaugh, formerly of Dayton, Ohio (whose brother I met at Val. 's, and referred to previously), but who is now keeping the Howard House, on the corner of Congress and Griswold street sin this city. He is a great friend of Val. 's, and used to visit him most every day while V. was at Windsor, Canada, near here. He says there is an organization here. The Democratic or copperhead majority, out