against their depredations and capture them; also the importance of reporting to you all manner of crime and misconduct on the part of our own soldiers as well as on the part of citizens and bands of rebels. If the civil courts do not punish crime promptly enough, in your opinion, you will so inform me, and I will at once convene a military commission at Lebanon to dispose of their cases. Promptly have punished all irregularities on the part of our own troops, and impress as fully as possible on the minds, of all our troops, officers and soldiers, the importance of the most orderly and upright conduct; that they must be the example and conservators of the public peace, and not the violators and disturbers of it.

Rigidly enforce General Orders, Numbers 9, current series, and any soldiers found drunk should be compelled to state where and of whom they obtained the liquor, that the penalties provided in the order may be inflicted upon the guilty parties. I shall endeavor to maintain a post south of the State line, near the line dividing Marion and Fulton Counties, Ark., so you may assure the people in the border counties that they will be protected in returning to and cultivating their farms. Let every effort be make to procure law and order, the surest way to accomplish which is to punish all breakers of it in the most speedy manner, and duly communicate any changes or modifications that you may think would be of advantage at any time of the present disposition or management of the forces of the district.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN. B. SANDORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, Springfield, February 18, 1864.

Captain J. T. WILSON,
Gasconade Crossing:

CAPTAIN: Your communications in regard to the attack on the stage escort have been received. I tender my compliments to the 5 men for their gallantry at that attack, but it was very wrong to have so small a number of men for a stage escort. Such an escort should never consist of less than 12 men. Whose fault this is I do not know-I suppose the commanding officer at Waynesville. I have ordered a company from Lebanon to the Gasconade, also Lieutenant-Colonel Brutsche for the time being.

You have authority to scout in the Rolla District, and your command will escort the stage from Gasconade to Lebanon.

Your men and officers will be instructed not to move or obey any order detailing them as escort when in the Rolla District, unless 12 men at least are detailed for escort, unless such order should come from department headquarters. You will exhibit this communication to Lieutenant-Colonel Brutsche on his arrival, and as soon as convenient thereafter I desire you, with a proper escort or command, to hunt and destroy the mail robbers and guerrillas in that region. Inform all the citizens through that region that they are expected to communicate all information concerning guerrillas to the post at Gasconade at the earliest moment, and to organize in companies for the purpose of capturing or destroying them, and that anything accomplish by them in this behalf will be suitably rewarded, and any