with any beef-cattle or serviceable horses they may have, leaving the women and children of the family undisturbed and in possession of their household goods and such work-cattle as they need to cultivate their farms.

All beef-cattle that can be found will be driven in to this station, and you can press any serviceable horses not under 15 hands high you find in the country, and which are absolutely necessary to mount the men of your regiment.

You will be kind and courteous in your dealings with the defenseless citizens in the country, giving receipts for everything you are obliged to take, and preventing your men from entering houses, pillaging or burning any houses or fence rails.

Incendiarism or unnecessary severity you are strictly charged to prevent, and you must arrest and man found or reported to have plundered the helpers inhabitants of the country, turning them over to the provost-marshal here on your return. Be exceedingly careful to maintain a vigilant system of pickets around your camps, and use all proper and necessary means to prevent a surprise. The main object of this expedition is to obtain a large amount of forage, but with this object in view you will also damage the enemy as much as possible, capturing as many as practicable. Should your rations become short, you will return here at the same time the steamer Miller does, and report before you cross for orders. Should your rations hold out you will remain near the forage in Round Bottom, and there await the return of the steamer for another load. You will bear in mind that complaints from citizens will receive proper consideration, and I trust you will exercise sufficient control over your men to prevent any being made to these headquarters.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. R. LIVINGSTON,

Colonel First Nebraska Cavalry, Commanding District.

SAINT LOUIS, March 12, 1864.

(Received 9.50 p.m.)

To the PRESIDENT,

Washington, D. C.:

The policy of quieting Missouri by doing justice to all parties requires, two able brigadiers, not politicians nor interested in local politics here, for district commanders. Please order me two such generals. McNeil and Guitar are good fighting men-one radical, the other conservative-but so mixed up in local politics that all their actions will be suspected if not charged by the opposite side to proceed from party bias. An early answer is important.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI,
Warrensburg, Mo., March 12, 1864.

Major General W. S. ROSECRANS,

Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to state that I have seen a petition, signed by a number of citizens of Johnson County, asking that all persons who have been arrested and held for trial by military commission