I thought some might find this interesting. Somewhere, I have some information about these same actions taking place in Ashly County at the same time.

RICHMOND, VA., February 26, 1864.
His Excellency the PRESIDENT, and
The honorable the SECRETARY OF WAR:
SIRS: I beg leave, most respectfully, to call your attention to the letter of Mr. Barker, herewith sent, dated 26th ultimo, and received byrne on yesterday. I have known Mr. Barker for some years, and I have found him at all times to be a truthful and correct gentleman. He possesses much intelligence, and has large business relations where he lives. His account of the ravages of our friends is quite gloomy indeed, and certainly should be attended to. Drew County (to which Mr. Barker refers) is one of the first counties for wealth, population, intelligence, and patriotism in Arkansas. It borders on two counties (Chicot and Desha) which are upon the Mississippi River. Of course if this account be true as to this county, other counties in the State are suffering in the same way, and in the present uncertain condition of affairs in Arkansas this is a serious and a very dangerous experiment on the part of our generals and soldiers. If true as the facts are stated, Mr. Barker does not paint too highly their effects on our people, nor is he mistaken as to the final result. If we have lost friends there at all I am satisfied and have not a lingering doubt that it has been brought about by such lawless acts on the part of some generals there.
There is no question that our laws and regulations are ample to meet cases of this kind if observed, and I find General Orders, No. 104, 13th December, 1862, from the Office of the Adjutant-General here, exactly in point, but over in Arkansas it is too frequently the case officers obey orders or not, as it may suit their pleasure or convenience.
If any action can be had to relieve our people against proceedings like those named by Mr. Barker I would be much pleased, and I hope you will cause such steps to be taken, after the proper examination as will afford an early, prompt, and effective remedy in the premises.
Very truly and respectfully,
A. H. GARLAND.
[Inclosure.]
DREW COUNTY, ARK., January 26, 1864.
DEAR GARLAND: Let me entreat you, in behalf of the people of Drew County, Ark., to make one effort to save them and their families from starvation and ruthless plunder, not occasioned by the Yankees, but by Southern troops, acting, they say, by order of General Holmes. Two or three thousand men have been sent to this and Bradley Counties, with orders to take and appropriate all the property, and especially that belonging to the citizens east of the Saline River. A portion of Shelby's Missourians have been let loose upon the citizens of Drew County and they have broken up a great many families. In several instances all the horses, mules, and stock of every kind, together with negroes and provisions, have been taken, leaving the people in utter destitution. These detestable thieves robbed my father of his negroes, horses, mules, and chopping axes, and the entire population of this county and portions of adjacent counties, being dependent upon his mill for bread, are now suffering for the want of this article, as the mill is stopped because his hands have been taken from him. His engineer (his son), a lad of about eighteen years of age, detailed as miller by order of the Secretary of War, was arrested by them and still held in custody. They took $600 in Confederate money from him, and robbed the trunk of my brother (who has been in the Army of Virginia under General Longstreet for nearly three years) of a pocket-book containing business papers valuable to him. Several other depredations of minor importance were committed.
At a great many other places in this county they have committed similar acts of vandalism. They depredate alike upon poor widows and the already suffering families of soldiers now absent in the army, not leaving them a single horse to go to mill upon, and some of them live 3, 5, and 8 miles from any mill. Meat-houses are broken open and robbed, and it was stated to me by General Fagan on yesterday, at his quarters in Monticello, that General Holmes had ordered him to take all the property in this section of the country, but that he would not obey the order. A great deal of property has been taken and destroyed. We ask to be saved from our friends. "The Yankees are friends and protectors when compared to the vandalism of Holmes," is the daily language of starving citizens made destitute by the order of Holmes. The Yankees have been down here twice, but they have left enough of horses and mules to farm with and enough provisions to live on. But the path of this "Southern raid," as it is called, is marked with utter desolation. This statement may astonish you; it has astonished everybody here but Holmes. I could, had I time, obtain the names of the best and most prominent citizens of this county to the above statement. If our delegation in Congress can't do something for us we must do something for ourselves if we know what to do.
I am afraid this people here will ask for Yankee protection. It is daily canvassed since this indiscriminate plunder of Holmes' began. Please use your best efforts to obtain some redress for us at the hands of the proper authority. I write as an individual, but the facts stated above I can establish to your satisfaction by the best testimony in this county. Do something for us. The citizens seem to be as much in dread of Holmes as of the hated Yankees. One thing they know, the Yankees cannot devastate the country more than Holmes is doing but with the torch.
I will be pleased to hear from you if possible. "Hampton, Ark.," will reach me.
With my best wishes for your well-being, I am, &c.,
G. M. BARKER.
These Missouri troops, Shelby's brigade, represent themselves to be Yankees, and plunder just as bad.
BARKER.