1863 Oct 24

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI,

Pilot Knob, Mo., October 24, 1863.

Colonel J. B. ROGERS, Cape Girardeau:

You will, on Tuesday morning next, 27th instant, move 300 well-appointed troops, under discreet and energetic officers, with light rations for twenty days, and dispose of them as follows: Seventy-five of them will make their headquarters at Poplar Bluff, 100 at Doniphan, and 50 will go flying into Dunklin County. The remaining 75 will be a moving scouting force, with headquarters at Doniphan. I want to hold an election in every county in my district, if possible, and General Orders, Numbers 120, must be rigidly enforced. Each of your detachments can be bearer of tickets for all parties. Will there be any need of a little force in Bollinger County? Your troops are to kill every rascal they find bushwhacking or jayhawking, and at the same time encourage every man who will "turn with hearty repentance and true faith" to Father Abraham.

CLINTON B. FISK,

Brigadier-General.

PATTERSON, MO., October 24, 1863.

General FISK:

My scouts are in. I will be after Tucker in the morning if you do not want him. I thought I would kill all jayhawkers, and Tucker is one of the very worst. My notion was to leave him. If you want the man, I will bring him up, if I can get him; if not, I will leave him. I hear that Reves' men are very much scattered, and he cannot get them together. Now would be a fine time to be after him. The leaves are gone, and they will have to find their holes. One hundred men would do the work. They should have no incumbrance whatever.

W. T. LEEPER,

Captain.