Today in History:

735 Series I Volume XLVIII-I Serial 101 - Powder River Expedition Part I

Page 735 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. --UNION.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, February 3, 1865--2 p. m.

Lieutenant W. T. CLARKE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

If Company I, Forty-ninth Missouri, can possibly be replaced by other troops, have the company dismounted and ordered to the regiment. Men owning their own horses will be permitted to send them home. Public animals will be turned over to the quartermaster's department. Answer.

By order of General Dodge:

J. W. BARNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MACON, MO., February 3, 1865--5 p. m.

Major J. W. BARNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I can supply the place of Company I, at Brunswick, by the division of Kutzner's little force at Glasgow, and have already directed Captain Benecke to move to Mexico to await further orders. Their numerical force can better be replaced than the loss of their repeating rifles and their intimate knowledge of the country. Will have them dismounted upon arrival at Mexico and forwarded at once.

W. T. CLARKE,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, Kans., February 3, 1865.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

The Indians have again surrounded Julesburg Station, on Overland route. The garrison is about fifty strong, with two mountain howitzers. Troops are making forced marches to their relief.

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

OMAHA, February 3, 1865.

Major-General CURTIS,

Commanding Department of Kansas, Fort Leavenworth:

Colonel Livingston reports the burning of the stage station at Julesburg. Captain O'Brien's company with two mountain howitzers were driven into their works. Says no one company at a post can do more than hold garrison. With such large numbers of Indians our force cannot give protection to coaches and travelers on the route in any other way than to abandon all garrisons and unite the forces and establish a regular system of escorting large trains through to the mountains. Our supply posts must be kept up. If we adopt this course the country will be kept a barren waste. On the other hand, if I can be supplied with 2,000 additional men and supplies, in thirty days I will be able to put an end to all these Indian outrages in this district. At the lowest estimate there was at Julesburg yesterday 1,500 Indians. There was at the same time a large force threatening Alkali, fifty miles


Page 735 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. --UNION.