John Highley was out of the area of Southeast Missouri until approximately Nov. 1863 and Milks was not posted to Farmington, Mo. until Dec. 18, 1863. Period communications do not mention Highley but rather Hildebrand, though I doubt if Milks' commanders saw much difference as the actions of the two guerrillas were much the same. It appears to me that Milks went to Prairie du Rocher for Highley, though he would capture/kill anybody that ran from his squad. At the time, Highley was supposed to be at Alton Military Prison under a sentence of death (being reviewed by Lincoln) for the killing of a local man, William Pickles, in 1861. Through an error, Highley was exchanged about June 1863. His return to St. Francois Co., Missouri is approximate and based on informers that Milks and Provost Marshal James W. Bradley developed, the latter coming to Farmington about the same time as Milks. At the risk of giving opinion when I published as to whether, and if so, from whom, Milks received the orders he says he got, I left the narrative open ended. Since, I have explored other thoughts and believe, as you, that Milks did not get any orders---rather he went on his own. As to Ewing, he distanced himself from the Affair (OR Series I Vol 34 Part I pg. 876) when Milks made his Report, while on April 11 Ewing reveals his commitment to Illinois incursions in a communication to Lt. Col. John Herder at the Post at Pilot Knob "...You will by all means cross the River at any time to kill guerrillas...." From my perspective, Milks killed a notorious guerrilla, perhaps not on the scale of Hildebrand simply because Highley was in prison Jan-June 1863 and in the Confederate Cavalry for part of 1862. Highley was killed on the decision and initiative of Milks and not soon enough.