<title type="main">Burgess Preston to Thomas E. Bramlette

Head Quarters 65th KentuckyEnrold Militia

Paintsville Johnson Co, Ky August 5th 1864 To his Excencley Thomas E Bramlit Gavoner of the State of Kentucky

In obedieance to your order ordering me to make acompany of active Militia I am indevering to make the company and have detailed one hundred & one men and have Fifty Five in Camp in Paintsville and have put Lieut Col G. W. Brown in Command he being the best driled man and I think the most campatant in my Reidgmment and Recamend that he be Commissioned as Captain of the Company and have appointed E. H. Walker First Lieutenant {Unclear}C. G. Rule second Lieutenant and John Turner Third Lieutenant and Recammend that they be commissioned if it is leagal for me to appoint the officier I made an effort to make the company by volunteers but could not get more than five or six I then made the detail by ballet out of the sevral Companeys in the Reidgment on the 23th of this instant we are subsisten gitting our subsistance from the country have about 45 guns 10 enfield a few shot guns and the balance old guns that the Rebles left Scaturd about in the country I have vary litle amunition only a litle I got from the united States Troops at Louisa

We have a bad chance of infermation here have no Mail to this plase the nerist is

to Louisa which is 32, miles I have no regulations nor nothing to govern me in my duty in organinzeing the company I tharefore desire all the information from you that ^you^ can give me. as it respects the orgianization of the Company and ^how^ they are to be armed & Equipted & clothed and furnished with subsistence & Co.

Thare is a good meny Reble Gerrillars in this country and I think the company might be in agratdeal of danger in the camp without being beter armed tharefore desire that I heare from you imeadatly,,

The office of Captain in Company became Vacant, B, having became Vacant I had an election heldd in said company on the 3th of this instant and John S. Miller wase elected Captain an Jessey Murry Third Lieutenant in same company Co, C, John Hilman First Lieutenant Co, E, Nathaniel P Simer wase elected Captain William Vanhoose First Lieutenant & Asey J Fairchild secand Lieutenant --

The gurillar Sidney Coop made a rade in Paintsville on the night of the 16 July ^with about fifty men^ and Robed the storse with about fifty men and the shrriffe caled on me and I ordered me my Ridgment in and had to send to Louisa for amunition and hunt up the guns from the country and started in pursuit

of the thievs on the 23th about 5 ock P, M, and marched about 15 miles that night the next day pursued on within 7 Miles of West liberty and run him out which is about 35 miles from here took several prisoners but coud not git evidance against but one who he belonged to the band I sent him to Louisa and turned him over to the united States. forces

I had Seventy Five men with me I went in persan G, W, Brown Lt Col & W. W. House Adjt wase in the scout with me

At the Election on the 1st instant thare wase apole assssed at apart of the voting precients for Col Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel and one Mr Auxier wase poled for Colonel & C. C. Price for Lieutenant Colonel and having no wase Elected the peple no agenral thing in this county did not under stand that that wase the time for Electing a Colonel & Lieut Clonel if it had bin so under stood they could have Elected A loyal Man to have to filed them officers, and I think thare is genral ^dis^satisfaction

Burges Preston Col Comdg, 65, Ky, E, M