dition, it would shut off another avenue of escape. I think they should scout more. I have ordered my men to stay and see it out, and hope the expedition will be a success.

J. B. ROGERS,

Colonel.

HEADQUARTERS SUB-DISTRICT,
Cape Girardeau, Mo., June 8, 1864.

General EWING,

Commanding:

I have the honor to report that I have seen the commanders of the Enrolled Missouri Militia in this vicinity, and they have arms and ammunition in store to arm their men when necessary. I have tried several times the policy of arming militia and not calling them out-that is, arm them and allow them to go home until wanted-but it will not do any good; on the contrary, they are invariably disarmed by the enemy. A few guerrillas can go around and in one night disarm a company; besides, in that State they are perfectly unreliable, will run in at the mention of an enemy, and bring the most fabulous reports of his strength, &c. They are useful if in camp subject to discipline and kept scouting under orders, and a company of them armed with shotguns would make the best auxiliaries against bushwhackers; in fact, they are the only force well calculated to beat them, as they readily adopt their peculiar tactics.

The Enrolled Missouri Militia of any district, taken merely by enrollment, will not do at all, and especially here, like the Paw Paws. The remedy is worse than the disease. None but a voluntary organization will do for a home warfare and they most carefully selected. In forts or with other troops they will do good service, but in isolated service and neighborhood warfare the opportunity to compound with our enemies is too good to be lost, and often they will be taken prisoners and paroled, losing, of course, their arms, &c., and will frequently be parties to the very acts they pretend to prevent. What I would most earnestly recommend is that one full company be raised, armed, and called into service in Stoddard County, to be kept in service during the guerrilla season, to report to and be subject to the officers in service of the United States to be used in exterminating these marauders. They cannot be both citizens and soldiers; if they try that they will be disarmed in detail. I would recommend a similar company in Mississippi County, to report at Charleston, Mo. They should be infantry, to save cost, and to be able to patrol the swamps they would be more effective, as our horse could co-operate with them.

The season promises a very active campaign by guerrillas, and our force is light. I would further suggest that the regiments of Enrolled Missouri Militia should be held in readiness here to be called at once into service; all necessary arms and ammunition in store at safe and convenient points, to arm them at once in case of need (but for this purpose shotguns would be useless or nearly so). But I would make all this preparation secretly, and would be careful not to do anything that would increase the feeling of insecurity or lead them to think that there was any intention or fear of a necessity to call them out for the season that agricultural pursuits would be neglected at once. Last year they were called out and their labor