BROOKFIELD, June 4, 1864.

General CLINTON B. FISK,

Commanding District of North Missouri, Saint Joseph, Mo.:

GENERAL: I have taken measures to inform myself as well as possible in the short space of time which I have been acting in regard to the alarming troubles apprehended by your many correspondents, and am satisfied that there are but few of the thieving desperadoes operating in this section, and I think, by judicious management, I can clear them all out on double-quick time after our men are organized.

The man Clark taken from Chariton County has been released unharmed and has returned home; the reason of his being taken was on account of a party of our men thinking to find out something from the rebels in that portion of the county. They went in the night and took a rebel out, and after some questioning and some hanging, they let their man go. Nobody was injured, but this man Clark was taken in retaliation, but after taking him they feared to injure him, and after a few days' confinement released him. I have ordered that no more such proceedings will be tolerated, and that the military will attend to all such matters hereafter. If any more of our men are molested I have victims spotted for hostages to retaliate on. I will have at least 15 men to start out on a scout by this evening, who will not take bushwhackers prisoners.

I go to Bucklin this morning and will report to you if anything new develops itself. I shall make a raid Sunday night in a locality said to be inhabited by a small band of these devils. I understand you have as prisoner one Jack Bouyer, of this county. If he is one of the bushwhackers that I was after about one year ago, he then was in the company of one Captain Holtzclaw, who made the raid through here stealing and shooting. This Bouyer shot a man by name of Prather, in the north part of this county. I have sent for Prather's affidavit, which I will forward to you. This man Bouyer was bushwhacking and has been for about eighteen months or two years.

I am, very respectfully,

E. J. CRANDALL,

Commanding County Forces of Linn County, Mo.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH MISSOURI, Saint Joseph, Mo., June 4, 1864.

Captain E. J. CRANDALL,

Commanding Enrolled Missouri Militia, Linn County, Mo.:

CAPTAIN: I am directed by the general commanding to give you the following instructions regulating the conduct of the company of Enrolled Missouri Militia troops under your command in Linn County:

Every man who can possibly furnish his own horse and equipments will be required to do so, and to keep them in good condition. For such men as have no horses and cannot obtain them, you are authorized to take horses and equipments from men who are known to be disloyal [commonly denominated rebel sympathizers], where such sympathizers have a greater number of horses than is actually necessary to carry on their ordinary farm work, or such other business as they may be legitimately engaged in, giving receipt therefor, payable upon proof of loyalty, and setting forth the necessity for

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