arms they could find. Although there are many of these robbers in the parish, this is the first time they have ever gone about publicly in daylight robbing the citizens. These lawless bands are daily increasing in numbers; not only are they collecting the discontented whites and free negroes, but the slaves, already demoralized by the Yankees, are going to them every day, and my word for it, unless some protection is afforded by the military authorities, all the good, loyal, and hones men in the western part of the parish will have to flee from their homes and abandon the country. It is no longer the case of a few isolated desperadoes; the entire community in the western part of the parishes implicated in these organizations.

I speak not from hear say, but from my own knowledge, when I say that Carriage is daily becoming more and more popular with the masses, and that every day serves to increase his gang. These men are making the ignorant and deluded suppose that they are their champions, that their object in pursuing the course they follow is to bring the war to a close, and tell them if they could only make everybody join them the war could soon be brought to a close. These jayhawkers, as they are termed, have stolen horses and pressed an stolen guns until they are well mounted and armed, and are now far too numerous for the limited force we have here to venture among them.

Until some vigorous measures are taken he conscription in this parish may be said to be suspended, as every man who does not desire to report has only to go within the lines of the jayhawkers to be perfectly safe from the officers of the law. The few men who report declare they will never leave home until some steps are taken to afford some security for the lives of the defenseless ones they leave behind them. In conclusion, I would say that in my opinion some firm and vigorous steps should be taken at once to rider the country of these murderers, thieves, and traitors.

I am, general, yours, truly,

H. C. MONELL,

Captain and Enrolling Officer, Parish of Saint Landry.

HEADQUARTERS PAROLED PRISONERS,
Opelousas, La., February 13, 1864.

Major General RICHARD TAYLOR,

Alexandria, La.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to state to you that a critical state of things now exists in this parish. Carriere, with his band of jayhawkers, within the last few days, has been very actively engaged in robbing the citizens of all the fine horses, guns, and everything in the shape of ammunition, thus showing a disposition to carry on their thieving business publicly, which the very small force here allows them to do with impunity. I would very respectfully request that you send a cavalry force sufficient to drive them entirely out of the country, not less than 200 men, well armed, and with at least 40 rounds of ammunition. Unless here men are captured or driven away, the good citizens of this parish will be compelled to remove; besides this, those prisoners of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, of which there are large numbers in the parish, have, in many instances, gone inside the jayhawkers' lines and cannot be got out of