It will be necessary, that in the nighttime no fires be made or smoking allowed, and while on the hunt no talking or other loud noises will be made, except signals, which should be the imitation of some forest bird or animal, if practicable. In order to prevent collisions with our own troops, so far as practicable you will assign to each command a separate district of country to protect and scout. If these instructions are strictly enforced and proper industry exercised it [will] not be possible for bands of guerrillas to remain concealed in any portion of this district for any length of time. The general commanding instructs me to say that evidence of such bands in any portion of the district after this will be evidence of a want of proper disposition of the troops or energy in pursuing them.

I am, very truly, your obedient servant,

J. H. STEGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FOURTH SUB-DIST., DIST. OF CENTRAL MO., Kansas City, Mo., March 1, 1864.

Captain JAMES H. STEGER,
Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. of Central Missouri:

SIR: I have disposed the troops of my command as follows, in accordance with General Brown's telegraphic order of February 23, 1864: Company H, Second Colorado Cavalry, in the eastern part of Jackson County, Mo.; Company C, in the vicinity of Pleasant Gap, Bates County, Mo.; Company I, on Grand River, Bates County, Mo.; Company L, to Johnstown, eastern Bates County, Mo.

To-day I detailed all Company E, Second Colorado Cavalry, to Little Santa Fe, excepting Captain Greene, Company E, and Second Lieutenant Cleveland, acting assistant quartermaster, and 20 men, who will remain at Westport, Mo. I would respectfully ask the assistant adjutant-general to send me the order for the last detail to establish a station at Little Santa Fe, near the Kansas boundary, and for the other changes ordered by General Brown, commanding district, as I have received none yet. Any further changes required, if this meets your approval, will be immediately complied with. Companies B, D, and M are here on continued and severe duties. Company D furnishes all the escort over the district with trains, &c.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. H. FORD,

Colonel Second Colorado Cavalry,

Commanding Fourth Sub-District, District of Central Missouri.

FORT LEAVENWORTH, March 1, 1864. (Received 29th.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of [February] 28th does not meet the issue relating to my command. The ambiguity relates to the locus in quo involved in the words "Fort Smith." In a military sense I suppose it includes the town, the heights to be fortified, and the necessary outposts, together with the troops in these places. As a mili-