Lewis Merrill to Major-General Curtis, January 20, 1863

Major-General Curtis, Soint Louis, Mo.:

The order suspending for the present any further action upon assess: ments for damages was not designed to be limited to Saint Louis, but was meant to include all such assessments in the State of Missouri, You will, therefore, suspend them until further instructions.

EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

CrRCULAR.] HDQRS. DISTRICT OF NORTHEASTERN Missouri, Warrenton, Mo., January 20, 1863.

GENTLEMEN: You will not, for the present, continue the collection of any assessments you have made. It is hoped that the proper knowledge of this matter on the part of the President will soon permit the resumption of your work, which for the present, on account of strong opposition made to it by your Representatives in Congress and the President, must be suspended. It would be well to let your Representatives have a knowledge of your feelings on the subject, as they are now working against it with such force as makes it advisable to bend to the pressure for a little while, for fear of a Presidential order revoking the whole thing.

With much respect,

your obedient servant,