Today in History:

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

Page 770 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

in many fields, and for their zeal and energy in the prosecution of the war against the present languishing but persistent rebellion, and he asks for them the same cordial and kind exertions to sustain them that has heretofore distinguished the soldiers and citizens of this command.

By command of Major-General Curtis:

C. S. CHARLOT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF COLORADO, Denver, Colo. Ter., February 7, 1865.

Captain W. H. EVANS,
Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, Commanding Camp Collins, Colo. Ter.:

SIR: I have found it necessary to proclaim martial law in this district to enable me to raise men and horses to go out and open the Overland road. It will be pretty difficult to obtain the number of horses, and I understand that there are a good many in your section of country. I therefore respectfully request that you press into service, and send down here with their owners from thirty to fifty horses fit for service. They will be received under General Order, No. 10, from these headquarters. This is merely a loan of horses for ninety days, unless sooner discharged, and is a work of necessity for the salvation of this country. I shall look for the horses in a few days.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. MOONLIGHT,

Colonel Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST, Saint Paul, Minn., February 7, 1865.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Commanding Department of the Northwest, Milwaukee, Wis.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that your dispatches of the 1st and 2nd instant have been duly received. A copy of your instructions relating to those Indians who have surrendered or may hereafter surrender to the military authorities will be immediately sent to the commandants of sub-district and of Fort Wadsworth for their government. As to the lie of posts indicated by you, and with respect to which you direct me to make suggestions, I beg leave to state that I had already arranged a programme for extending the defenses of the Minnesota frontier westward, so as to cover the extreme settlements; that is to say, from a point in Jackson County near Spirit Lake west of north in as direct a line as practicable to the falls of the Redwood River and thence crossing the Minnesota River in the direction of Alexandria Station, on the Abercrombie route, passing west of Lakes Kandiyohi, Eagle, and Johanna. This plan would enable me to multiply the stations, as, being less exposed to formidable attack, a much smaller force could safely be stationed at each than it would be proper to place at the posts specified in your dispatch. The expense of supplying the inner line would by very much less than the other and the remote settlers would feel greater security if they knew military aid was at hand in case of the appearance of hostile savages in their midst. There is already midway between Forts Abercrombie and Wadsworth, held by a detachment of the Independent Battalion,


Page 770 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.