are herewith returned to you through Captain Wolf. The colonel commanding wishes me to state that he has no alternative in regard to the wearing of Federal uniform by the enemies of the United States.

Where his men are caught wearing your uniform they must stand the consequences. But where they are in their own regular uniform of the arm of service to which they properly belong, he expects you will treat them kindly and as your own men are treated by him. Should your soldiers retaliate unjustifiably upon his men, he desires me to state that he will treat them as murderers. He does not object to your killing his men if you catch them in Confederate uniform, and will carry our his orders with regard to all Confederates wearing the uniform of the United States.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. C. FILLEBROWN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., February 6, 1864.

General THAYER,

Fort Smith, Ark.:

According to general orders of the War Department, General Steele's department includes all troops in the State of Arkansas except the garrison of Fort Smith, which is in the Department of Kansas. If you remove your headquarters to Van Buren, Ark., you are under General Steele's orders, but in that case you only command such of the troops of the old Frontier District as may be in Arkansas outside of Fort Smith. You should refer this matter to the War Department, through Generals Steele and Curtis, for decision with regard to the bisecting of the district by department lines.

O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO., February 6, 1864.

General FISK:

I regret to be compelled to report that at a late hour last night a large crown of soldiers and citizens took the prisoner, John F. Bolin, from the custody of the guard and hung him. All was done by most of the officers that could be done to prevent it, but without success. No force could be used, owing to the fact that no symptom of their intention was manifested until too late, and nearly all the available force was engaged in the act.

J. B. ROGERS,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT,
Saint Louis, February 6, 1864.

Colonel J. B. ROGERS,

Cape Girardeau, Mo.:

It will hardly be necessary to give Bolin a trial.

CLINTON B. FISK,

Brigadier-General.