DEAR COLONEL: Yours of the 12th instant (8 p.m.) was received last night.(*) You will find that the object you desire to accomplish can be done by holding the infantry in a safe place and using our flankers and partisans (dragoons) to protect the county. I think that Kitchen, Hale, and Hunter will strike more terror into the marauders than 5,000 infantry. Your trip to Skinner's Ridge will not pay. There is now being collected an immense army, to march down the Mississippi Valley, and probably the whole force that has been after Price will be joined to it; therefore a large or permanent force on the Stoddard Ridge would but <ar3_740> draw a column down that way. The wise person who divined that I would fortify New Madrid sees further into the future than I do. My desires are to have no permanent quarters, but to keep 10,000 men wandering and watching for my whereabouts. I will use every effort to get shoes and blankets.

Yours, &c.,

DEAR COLONEL: Yours of this morning, by Major Powers, is at hand.(+) I am sorry to hear so bad an account of your men, and hope that you will instill more patriotism, patience, and obedience into them. They are not suffering more than any of the other regiments; in fact much less, because they are as well provided for and are within a few miles of home, where they can hear from their families daily; whereas the brave men from Cass, Bollinger, Ripley, Washington, &c., are here, equally exposed and remote from their friends. Our terms of enlistment will now soon expire, and, in the reorganization, I hope that we will not find so many home-sick men. If you have not plenty of wood and straw where you are you might move a few miles to where such things can be had; but upon no consideration should you go far from the west end of the Blanton road. I admire the patriotism that you and Kitchen displayed in being willing to sacrifice your property for the public, but I cannot compliment either your discretion or judgment in pressing the occupation of Bloomfield with a small force at this time. As soon as the fort is completed here and the grand march <ar8_691> of the enemy either made or deferred for the winter I will endeavor to have troops sent here, and then, if I can get forage and subsistence, I will take the whole command to Bloomfield, so that I can drive in all small parties of the enemy from the Saint Francis to Little River and occasionally threaten their strongholds at Cape Girardeau and Ironton; or if the winter sets in, so that troops cannot be marched from the Cape, I may trust a small force at Bloom field; but now it is certainly north of our van of operations, and will boldly tempt the enemy instead of intimidating him. You have certainly found out by this time that there are many tories in Stoddard County, and the enemy has no difficulty in finding out all about your position and strength.

You can inform your men for me that I am fighting for the "cause," and not for Stoddard County alone, and that, if they attempt to mutiny or desert, it can but result to their injury. I am disposed to be as lenient as possible, and from my very heart I sympathize with them in their hardships; but the whole country is now at stake, and the next few days will end the campaign for the winter, and even now it is getting to be a war of endurance instead of a war of guns, and, if our men are to be withered by the first cold breeze and return from the field the first windy night, then, indeed, will the energy of the North succeed, and we will have to "hang our harp on the willow tree."

I will make every effort to expedite the paying off of the men and arrange for the transfer to the Confederate States; then all who want to go home can do so and stay there. I send you by Major Powers an assortment of muster and pay rolls. The muster and pay rolls should be made for the 1st of November, at which time the Confederate States commence paying us. The pay rolls will embrace the time up to November 1. I am printing a general order about our settlements, which will be out soon. Any explanation you desire will be cheerfully made. There will be a large lot of goods here in a few days; some we have now. Make your men cut lots of wood and run large camp-fires. Send over the gunsmith's tools which you have not issued. I will establish a shop here. If your doctors are giving leaves of absence to men who are not sick, or if those who have recovered do not return, report them to me.

Yours, truly,

SIR: By orders from the Secretary of War, the embargo on all produce and stock is removed. You will therefore let the people know that they can ship or drive their produce or stock. You will order the companies of Captains Galbraith and McMurray, belonging to the First Regiment of Cavalry, to report to their regiment at this place. The troops from Cairo have gone northward again, and whether they will go after Price or stop at Cape Girardeau is not known. The weather is exceedingly bad and many men are sick. As soon as I hear from Price I will prepare for winter quarters. Let me hear from you, and as soon as Kitchen returns you had better come over.

Yours, &c.,