and regiments all over the State, and at the time of the passage of the act of Congress limiting the number to be raised, over 13,000 men were enlisted.

Preparations were immediately made by the Governor, on the receipt of the order limiting the number, to muster out the surplus; and this was being done when the following communication was received from the Adjutant-General:

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, June 23, 1862.

His Excellency the GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

SIR: It having been represented at this office that some three regiment of State militia have been raised in your State in excess of the number authorized by Congress, I am instructed to inform you that these extra troops will be received into the general service of the United States, provided such is their wish. If they do not desire to come into the general service they will be disbanded.

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

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

An order was immediately issued to the commanding officers of regiments (copy inclosed, marked C) directing a report to be made to these headquarters of those who desired to be mustered into the U. S. service. THrough their commanding officers the troops expressed an unwillingness to enter the service as U. S. volunteers.

The Governor then ordered that the surplus force be disbanded, but Brigadier General J. M. Schofield, then commanding the District of Missouri, protested against it, on the ground of the small force of U. S. troops in his command and the threatening aspect of affairs in the State at that time; and the Governor, at the request of the general commanding, telegraphed to the War Department informing the authorities of his intention to disband the surplus, and also the reasons urged by General Schofield that it should not be done, and received a reply from the General-in- Chief of the Army, of which the following is a copy:

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 15, 1862.

His Excellency GOVERNOR GAMBLE:

The Secretary of War consents to your retaining in service the surplus militia, at least for the present; that all preparation should be made for the draft, and the question of postponement will be decided hereafter.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

The foregoing is the authority by which the surplus militia was retained in service during the time the necessity existed for it.

As soon as the exigencies of the service would admit, orders were issued to reduce the force to the proper number, and by the last consolidated return (for December), forwarded from this office, the aggregate is 10,370.

An order will be issued in a few days breaking up four of the regiments, and distributing the companies among the other regiments to bring them to the standard of twelve companies each, as required by act of Congress approved July 17, 1862, and General Orders, Numbers 126, War Department, 1861.

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

WM. D. WOOD,

Colonel and Aide-de-Camp, Acting Adjutant-General.