OFFICE NORTH MISSOURI RAILROAD COMPANY,

Saint Louis, June 25, 1864.

Major General W. S. ROSECRANS,

Saint Louis:

DEAR SIR: I inclose to you a letter from Judge John P. Clark, of Mexico, in Audrain County, in regard to guerrilla troubles. He is one of the best and most reliable men in the State, and his warnings deserve to be heeded.

I have just returned home from Platte County, a trip over the Platte County railroad, over the whole line of the Hannibal and Saint Joseph Railroad from Saint Joseph to Macon City, and have been twice from Macon to Saint Louis within a week, and I will state to you as the result of my observation, from what I could hear and learn, that the Enrolled Militia, or some other military force, should be called out at once to protect persons and property. It is my opinion that unless it is done we may look for the destruction of railroad bridges, station houses, and cars. I believe a military force should at once be placed on duty as a guard at Perruque bridge, on our road, and at the two large bridges near Mexico. If Perruque bridge was destroyed the use of our road would be at an end, as it would take several months to rebuilt it.

I think it of the utmost importance to the quiet of the Sate that a good, strong cavalry force be at once put on duty under the control of good, wise, discreet officers, who will not foolishly exasperate the people, but punish, when nothing else will do, with certainly and severity.

This force will have to be continued until, say, the 1st of November, when the leaves will be off the trees. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In 1861 I asked General Halleck for this protection, and, either from not having the men or my inability to impress on him the importance of the matter, it was neglected, and our road was destroyed for 100 miles, every bridge and culvert burned, one depot, thirty-odd cars and engine, our wood; ties were taken out and piled and set fire to, and the rails thrown across them until bent so as to be useless.

I feel that unless you soon-indeed, at once-take steps to protect us that we are in danger of the same thing. If it does not come, we may owe it to your quietly, but at once, placing guards at these bridges I have mentioned, and then placing an active cavalry force in the field to scour the counties up and down the road constantly.

Since I began this letter Mr. Moulton handed me the letter from Colonel John Doniphan, of Platte County. We are, with a committee of the city court and mayor of Leavenworth and the county court of Leavenworth County, going to pass from Weston to Allen, on the North Missouri Railroad, to look at the line of the West Branch of the North Missouri road, to which the people of Leavenworth propose to subscribe $500,000 to aid in its construction. Brigadier-General Fisk said to me that he would furnish an escort and go with us in person to converse with the people, and see if he could not convince them, without having to use the bullet argument, that it was their interest to turn their attention to raising crops and building roads, instead of destroying what they had; but it seems from Colonel Doniphan's letter that he thinks we would be in danger. We shall go if we get the escort and take the risk. I most respectfully ask