Today in History:

1053 Series I Volume XLVIII-I Serial 101 - Powder River Expedition Part I

Page 1053 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

can be furnished, and proceed to this city. An officer of the quartermaster's department, goes up this afternoon, and the commanding general district of Vicksburg will also aid in expediting the movement as much as possible.

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

VICKSBURG, March 1, 1865.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Military Division of West Mississippi:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of instructions dated February 22, and beg leave to state that I have made every effort to be prepared to move in accordance with your order. I have received the number of horses necessary to mount my entire command. Have been compelled to take some 400 from the cavalry at this post; the balance I received per steamer to-day. I have my pack train complete, having been fortunate enough to secure pack-saddles at this place, and will be ready to move in accordance with your instructions on the 5th instant. I am fearful that I shall not be able to cross Pearl River. General Smith has promised to put me over the Big Black River on pontoons by that time. These streams are very much swollen in consequence of the continuous rain we are having. Nothing shall be wanting on my part to make the expedition a successful one.

JOSEPH F. KNIPE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, March 1, 1865-10 a. m.

General DODGE:

Please write me briefly what force you have in the department, and will have by May 15, in view of any raids of Price. I want it to send to Washington with letter on the subject I am writing.

JOHN POPE,

Major-General


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, March 1, 1865.

Captain JOSEPH McC. BELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Military Division of the Missouri:

CAPTAIN; For the information of the major-general commanding I herewith submit a brief report of troops who would be available in case of a raid by Price. This is upon the supposition that no U. S. volunteer troops would be left in Missouri and does not include those holding the Overland Mail Route; Thirty-ninth Missouri Infantry, 400; Forty-first Missouri Infantry, 700; Forty-third Missouri Infantry, 600; Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry, 900; Seventh Kansas Cavalry, 400; Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, 500 (Fort Scott); Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry, 600; Fourteenth Missouri Cavalry, 300; five batteries, 600; Missouri State Militia remaining in service, 500; total, 5,500. There are also two regiments, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, in Southwest Missouri, whose terms expire in June, and are not included in this.


Page 1053 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.