away from the locality where the person formerly lived. Give such persons a reasonable time to reach home after taking the oath, and if found from home with the oath arrest them. A brother of the man the soldiers arrested and turned loose was bushwhacking the Federal soldiers about a year ago, had his leg broken in the fight; was kept at the house of a disloyal man until he recovered, so that his comrades took him away. He has since been recaptured, and is now a prisoner at Saint Joseph. He was caught in a thieving operation. I hope these oaths will only be used for the benefit of good men, and not be used as a cloak to cover crimes.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LUCIUS SALISBURY,

Representative for Chariton County, Mo.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Saint Louis, June 9, 1864.

Respectfully referred to the provost-marshal-general, Department of the Missouri, who will investigate and report if the oath of allegiance is being used for the purposes indicated in this letter. By order of Major-General Rosecrans:

FRANK ENO,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Second indorsement.]

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE MO., OFFICE PROV. March General, Saint Louis, Mo., June 12, 1864.

Respectfully returned to the general commanding the department, I have no doubt whatever of the truth of the statement contained in the within letter. I have every reason to believe that it forms a part of a fixed and settled policy of the trans-Mississippi rebel army to give leave of absence and furloughs to enable Missouri soldiers to return home and act as spies. After entering within our lines they come to Little Rock, Memphis, and other points, report themselves as rebel deserters, take the oath, and thus prepared, come here and act in concert with each other to embarrass and thwart the action of the Government. But for this open gateway for their return into this department, it would not now be filled with guerrillas and bushwhackers as it is. Hardly one arrest is made, or person of this class killed, that has not in his possession the oath of allegiance, to which he subscribed on coming into the department from the rebel army.

J. P. SANDERSON,
Provost-Marshal-General.

CAPE CIRARDEAU, June 5, 1864.

General EWING,

Commanding:

Our men got in pursuit of the guerrillas who killed Mr. Hicks and ran them into Mingo Swamp, where they scattered, and the