[3] To combat the growing guerrilla menace, General Henry W. Halleck issued General Order Number 2 on March 13:[4] Evidence has been received at these headquarters that Maj. Gen. Sterling Price has issued commissions or licenses to certain bandits in this State, authorizing them to raise "guerrilla forces," for the purpose of plunder and marauding.
General Price ought to know that such a course is contrary to the rules of civilized warfare, and that every man who enlists in such an organization forfeits his life and becomes an outlaw.
All persons are hereby warned that if they join any guerrilla band they will not, if captured, be treated as ordinary prisoners of war, but will be hung as robbers and murderers.
Their lives shall atone for the barbarity of their general.Confederate President Jefferson Davis responded on April 21, 1862 and attempted to regulate guerrilla warfare by authorizing commissions for those forming bands of "partisan rangers," who would follow the rules of war and eventually join the Confederate forces.
The new Enrolled Missouri Militia could be called up in time of emergency to garrison key points in their locale or even to disrupt guerrilla encampments nearby.
[8] Confederate recruiters such as John A. Poindexter and Joseph C. Porter in northeast Missouri would immediately benefit from the order as their numbers were soon swelled by disaffected Southerners.
Upton Hays, John Hughes, Jerry Coffee, Jeremiah "Vard" Cockrell, and Jo Shelby were all busy recruiting Confederate regiments during this same period.
The formation of the Enrolled Missouri Militia was an arrangement between Schofield and Gamble that had not received the full consent of the Federal authorities.