at Germantown, in order that he as well as yourself may be thoroughly on the alert, and transmit as speedily as possible to these headquarters any and all information you may receive of the movements and whereabouts of the enemy.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. STEGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SAINT JOSEPH, MO., June 19, 1864.

Major-General ROSECRANS,

Commanding Department of the Missouri:

The guerrilla bushwhacking force is steadily increasing in nearly all the Missouri River counties in my district. The villains are constantly crossing the river to this side. It is evident that I shall need many and good troops to properly care for so extended and disturbed a section. I wish it were practicable to send me relabel troops from without the district. I need them very much in the counties of Clay and Platte, where I am thoroughly convinced there will be serious trouble unless I speedily make a charge in the troops there stationed. In the counties of Andrew, Buchanan, Platte, and Clay there is no organized militia except the Paw Paws. Other militia enrolled and organized in Buchanan and Andrew in April last, but as yet the new companies have not received the sanction of His Excellency Governor Hall.

If this new militia should receive official sanction and the officers be commissioned, a portion of it could be very advantageously employed, while another portion of it ought not to be placed on duty at all. I have no troops in Platte or Clay Counties, other than Paw Paws, except 25 men. Some of the Paw Paws are fair troops, but none of them have much zeal in fighting anything or anybody but Kansas jayhawkers and Red Legs. They do not try to catch Thornton and his Confederate recruits.

I have studied well the whole organization and faithfully endeavored to make it efficient against the accumulating rebel hordes, but without success. May of the Paw Paws have themselves gone into the brush. No bushwhackers in either of the counties of Platte or Clay have as yet harmed a Paw Paw.

They do not harm each other in the least, and I very much fear the understanding is they will not. Union men are plundered and murdered, and refugees from the two counties are asking for protection that I cannot give from the means at my command. Throughout the district I am daily strengthening the militia force, but it is difficult to find good men for the ranks and more difficult yet to find good officers. The militia have been in and out, disbanded and reorganized so frequently, and have performed so much service without pay that they have become somewhat discouraged and great numbers have played out. I shall do all I can with the means in my hands to deliver my district from the woes that threaten to overwhelm us. If possible to aid me with reliable troops, I am quite sure their service will result in more good in this district than any other in the department.

CLINTON B. FISK,

Brigadier-General.