HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI,
Warrensburg, Mo., March 13, 1864.
Maj. O. D. GREENE, Assistant Adjutant- General, Saint Louis, Mo.:
MAJOR : I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the major-general commanding, General
Orders, No. 12, from these headquarters, requiring the citizens to organize companies for local
police duty. The few guerrillas and bandits in the country are in parties of from 2 to 15 : though active scouts on foot in the brush and mounted in the more open country have killed several of them
in the past twenty days, and will eventually clear the country of them, yet it fails to inspire confidence and self-reliance in the people, and it is deemed best to form these organizations immediately. The enrollment of the Enrolled Missouri Militia would be sufficient in the populous districts if it was or could be completed soon enough to meet the present emergency, but this would fail to afford the necessary protection in the more sparsely settled districts, as the majority of able-bodied citizens who are liable to military duty have entered one of the armies, while the exempts, with those who would pay, not fight, would leave few or none for military service. These reasons will explain why I have thought it was necessary to make a general organization of the citizens of the district before the militia enrollment was completed. There is this objection to a volunteer organization : The people fear the vengeance of the bushwhackers, and say they would be exposed to being made victims if they join in an attempt to drive them out, and in many localities no combined action could be had, unless it is compelled by military orders. So far as I can learn the order meets with general approval with the people, and in some cases similar organizations have been concurred inby the general commanding.
I am, very truly, your obedient servant,
E. B. BROWN, Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding,
Col. JAMES MCFERRAN,
First Cav., M. S. M., Comdg. 3d Sub-Dist,,
Warrensburg, Mo. :
COLONEL : I have the honor to report to you that on last Saturday morning, about a. m., I left my company headquarters with what available force I had, numbering 25 (being all I had in camp but a small guard, in accordance with Special Orders, No. 64, dated head quarters Third Sub-District, Warrensburg, Mo., March 18, 1864), and arrived in Greenton about 10 a. m., and after remaining at the town a short time we scouted the country generally, and up to 4 p. m. I had not been able to hear anything from Major Mullins; after which I moved my command into Texas Prairie, and scouted that most thoroughly, and still could learn nothing of Major Mullins. I proceeded west to near the Jackson County line, and camped for the night in 1 miles of the bridge on the Big Sni, about 7 miles from Napoleon, in Jackson County, Mo. On Sunday morning I scouted the Texas Prairie, and returned to Greenton Valley and made diligent inquiry for the major and could not hear or learn any thing of his whereabouts. I traversed the entire length, or nearly so, of the Greenton Valley, and likewise of Texas Prairie. I found no friends and no rebels in arms, and I did not know what to do, only to return to camp and await further orders, as I had hunted diligently two days for the officer to whom I was to report for duty and was unable to find him or his command.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES D. EADS,
Capt. Co. M, First Cavalry, Missouri State Mil.
HDQRS. COMPANY M, FIRST CAVALRY, M. S. M.,
Hall's Mill, Mo., March 21, 1864.
Col. JAMES MCFERRAN,
First Cavalry, M. S. M., Comdg. 3d Sub-Dist., Warrensburg, Mo.:
COLONEL : I have the honor to report that I have had out fourteen scouts and one escort to Warrensburg, with wagons for rations, since my last report on the 10th instant. We have scouted over the north part of Johnson County. Greenton Valley, and Texas Prairie, in LaFayette County, and traveled in the aggregate 3.235 miles, making it equal to about 42 miles per day for the whole company. I find
several old camps where bushwhackers have been, and some late camp signs, but all of them are small,
not more than from 3 to 7 at any one place. We judge the number by the way they feed their horses and the signs they make. I do not think there is any large body of bushwhackers in this part of the country, but I feel very confident that there are several small squads which pass through frequently and perhaps stop a short time in the brush on Black Water. We have not been close enough to any bushwhackers to fire upon them, nor do we know certainly that the men have seen any since they have been stationed here. The country over which we travel is very quiet at this time and the people all appear to be preparing to go to work with a view of raising a crop. We have been able to procure full rations of corn and hay for our horses up to this time.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES D. EADS,
Capt. Co. M, First Cavalry, Missouri State Mil.
HEADQUARTERS STATION,
Harrisonville, Mo., March 23, 1864.
Lieut. E. L. BERTHOUD,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General :
LIEUTENANT: In compliance with instructions from Brigadier-General Brown, bearing date 18th instant, I
have established a military station at Morristown, in this county, and Lieut. J. Fenton Seymour,
Company C, Second Colorado Cavalry, with 1 sergeant, 2 corporals, and 20 men of his company, is stationed at that place.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. L. PRITCHARD,
Major Second Colorado Cavalry, Commanding Station.
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