Jas. B. McPherson, August 14, 1863

Commanding Officer Second Wisconsin Cavalry :

Sir: You will, until further orders, select a good position for your regiment and go into camp in the vicinity of Red Bone Church. It will be your special duty to guard the line of Black River from Baldwin’s Ferry to its mouth, watching particularly the different ferries across theriver within these limits, and prevent the crossing of parties of rebel cavalry for the purpose of picking up stragglers from our army or carrying off conscripts.

You will keep up a vigilant system of scouts and ascertain all you can about the movements of rebel cavalry on the east and south side of the Big Black.

You will instruct your men to preserve the most perfect order, to refrain from molesting any of ite citizens who are disposed to remain quietly at their homes and pursue their ordinary, peaceful avocations, but, on the contrary, to extend to them such protection as you can consistently with your duty, without placing guards at their houses.

You will arrest all soldiers found straggling through the country, no matter whose command they belong to, and send them in to me for punishment. All negroes with arms in their possession and all able-bodied negroes who are found doing nothing will be arrested and sent in here, to work on the fortifications.

Report to me anything important which you may find out, and send your reports and returns of regiment to these headquarters. Your supplies, &c., will be drawn from here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,