Today in History:

107 Series I Volume XLVIII-II Serial 102 - Powder River Expedition Part II

Page 107 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.

WASHINGTON, April 16, 1865-9 p. m.

General R. ALLEN,

Louisville, Ky.:

You may send all the surplus transportation in Generals Thomas' and Pope's commands to Little Rock as fast as it can go. Bringing away Schofield's and A. J. Smith's force without their teams must make a large surplus. All through Tennessee the number of teams can be greatly reduced.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

FORT SMITH, April 16, 1865-7 p. m. (Received 9 p. m.)

Major-General POPE,

Commanding Military Division of the Missouri:

My scouts were attacked seventy-five miles south and one of them killed. One of them returned to-day and reports numerous small parties moving this way, but heard nothing of any large force. The other scouts went on, and will obtain definite informant ion. An army cannot get through Arkansas now. There are no supplies in the country; the people who are left are in a starving condition. I need cavalry very much; have abundance of forage, but no horses. I am confident the enemy will not again cross the Arkansas River in force.

CYRUS BUSSEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

FORT SCOTT, KANS., April 16, 1865.

Captain GEORGE S. HAMPTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Paola, Kans.:

Have just got back from the southwestern border. There was nothing of the rebel and Indian force. There is and has been nothing there, and at present is no danger. I ought, however, to have at least five or six companies of cavalry at Humboldt, the Mission, Pleasant Grove, and Eureka, and Colonel Ford ought to have two on the south border of his district, of which one should be at El Dorado. I am satisfied that the Kiowas and Comanches will make a raid up there this spring or summer, if they can get help from Texas or the plains, unless we have a pretty good force out there. When I get the infantry and the rest of the Third Wisconsin I can make the country perfectly safe. In this instance the big stories all grew out of the killing of one or two cattle thieves by the Indians.

CHAS. W. BLAIR,

Colonel, &c.


HEADQUARTERS,
Humboldt, Kans., April 16, 1865.

Lieutenant WILLIAM H. HEWETT,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Fort Scott, Kans.:

SIR: I have the honor to report that I received a dispatch last evening from the Big Hill Indians. They state that there is a force of rebel Indians not far form that vicinity; that they are much in need of ammunition, and would like to be furnished with some. I expect to


Page 107 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.