A very considerable portion of it is secured only be personal security and not by realty, and principals and securities have left the country.

Our old records of circuit and county courts were carried to Kansas in 1861, at the time the town was burned by men under the command of General Lane. They are now and have been for some time at Sedalia, and our court does not feel willing to risk having them brought back to the county unless we can have men stationed here with will fee interested in saving them more than troops not living in this portion of the country would. Our school funds we will lose a good portion of unless suits are commenced immediately, as the court does not feel authorized to put the county to double expense, which they would do rather than have the papers brought here and run the risk of having them destroyed; which expense many firms and persons whom they were owing, and doubtless many fraudulent claims make the strongest cases, are doing and taking copies of everything done in court to make sure the debts owing. Another fact is, our tax-books for 1861, 1862, and 1863 are completed; about $20,000 still remains unpaid, about $5,000 has been collected. The tax-books for 1864 will soon be in the hands of the collector, and a very considerable revenue will yet be ready to be collected.

Shall the county, then, in view of all these facts, be without a sufficient force to protect her and keep up the organization of our county, or shall we be, as many citizens now predict, compelled to leave the county or our homes, in which our all now is, to be occupied by bushwhackers, Red Legs, and thieves, when we have men in our country who are determined and upright men, that can save it if authority is given them to do so? My opinion is that a full company should be called into service from this county, with headquarters at this post, a portion of them stationed at Ritchey's Mill, and a scout kept out at all times on their horses, with proper officers, who would see that wrongs were not committed upon the citizens. By such an arrangement those who are now at home would feel secure from the cowardly attack of an enemy in the night or from the brush,. From your order of May 30 I did not feel authorized to call out but 30 men to guards this post, which are not sufficient to allow men to lie down with any thought of security outside of this post that their houses will not be burned or their horses stolen, which has been done lately. If any company should be called out I would recommend that it be Company E, of the Sixtieth, under command of Captain A. Morton, as there is not a man of more determination in the county than he is to see law once more re-established and bushwhackers, marauders, thieves, and all lawbreakers brought to justice. I would recommend that those owing commutation tax in this county be put to work upon the fortifications at this post, as considerable work is necessary for its completion.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. J. PUGH,

Major Sixtieth Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia.

[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT, E. M. M.,
Lexington, Mo. June 16, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Brigadier General E. B. Brown, for his consideration, with the information that the 30 men referred to by Major