on foot and without arms. I can manage to arm them here and use them to garrison some post or station. Send me more ammunition as soon as you can; give me authority to raise two companies in Colorado instead of the mountain men and the Mormons. The Mormons will not come and mountain men are scarce and reluctant, and in my opinion both are to some extent disloyal. I am convinced that nearly all the French in these mountains are unfriendly to the Government. They are wary and prudent; but that some vicious influence is at work among the the Indians is proved by the fact that there never was a time in the history of the country when so many tribes distant from and hostile to each other were exhibiting hostility to the whites.

I am 160 miles from mail route. In replying I hope you will use the wires. Mr. Ewing, who is intelligent and loyal, will be able to inform you of my prospects in Colorado, as he will go to Leavenworth via Denver. In the mean time I will call in the mountain men near this post and arm them. I feed such as I am sure are loyal and will confine the others in the guard-house until I fear you and the Governor of Colorado.

I will only add that I will carefully avoid doing anything that would inaugurate a war with the Indians, knowing that such prudence would invite criticism, but I pursued this course because I believe the first blow I struck would insure the destruction of the emigrants, the telegraph and mail lines, and that I had not troops enough to prevent.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. CRAIG,

Brigadier-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, Augusta 31, 1862.

Brigadier-General SCHOFIELD, Saint Louis, Mo.:

The state of affairs in Tennessee and Kentucky is such that we can send you no more troops at present from Illinois. Hope things may mend soon.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

Abstract from Return of the Army of the Southwest, Brigadier General Frederick Steele commanding, for August, 1862, headquarters at Helena, Ark.

Present for duty

Troops Officers Men Aggregate Aggregate

present present and

absent

Infantry 454 9,603 13,407 17,247

Cavalry 220 4,500 7,687 9,514

Artillery+ 29 716 1,068 1,277

Total 703 14,919 22,162 28,033

*Neither brigade organization nor stations given in original.

+Number of guns not stated in original.