Dear Sir, Your orders requesting the recruiting of a company for State Service came duly to hand, I have complied with Order No. 3 has recruited 45 militia for State Service which is hoped will be immediately called into active service.

We have not had a Circuit Court here in this county for three years, the courthouse has been burnt by Gurillas the Jail destroyed and bad men has controlled the county or near so. The Gurillas has nearly laid waste to the county by pilaging Plundering & Robbing who are now in small squads say from ten to twenty together who when times axe suitable raids through the County and takes what suits their wicked purposes These Gurillas axe all well armed and men of the worst character and the Civil Authorities cannot apprehend them The Sheriff axe unable to serve process or arrest the Gurillas and cannot in a greater portion of the county collect the State Revenue

Harlan County is mountainous bordering some ninety miles on to the Virginia line and can be raided by bands of men from Lee County Va at any time they choose When these robbers makes raids they take arms, clothing, bacon &c and where they find a man that bitterly opposes them they burn their house furniture and leave the women and children without clothing or beds to sleep upon The hardship that we have endured has been greate, old men thats gray headed takes their blankets and lays in the mountain to avoid assassinated by these bands of robbers

If you immediately call this company into active Service it will enable the Circuit Court to be held and in a short time I think the laws can be inforced by the Civil Authorities.

This company will enable the Sheriff to collect the taxes on Liquors that has been made in this county for the last two years

If this quantity thus recruited are unable to restore law and order I will as soon as possible recruit a full company according to orders

I will suggest to you J K Bailey Clerk of the Harlan Circuit Court or Luke Jones Esq as well qualified to muster us into the service