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

Page 158 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.

WASHINGTON, D. C., April 22, 1865-2 p. m.

Major-General POPE:

The lieutenant-general commanding does not deem it expedient to order at the present moment the purchase of the 2,000 Canadian ponies asked for service in Arkansas.

JAS. A. ELKIN,

Brevet Brigadier-General, &c.


SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSOURI, Numbers 40.
Saint Louis, Mo., April 22, 1865.

1. The District of South Kansas is extended to include the Indian country, west of Arkansas, except the posts of Fort Smith, Fort Scott, and Paola, headquarters at Fort Gibson. Major General J. G. Blunt is assigned to the command of the District of South Kansas, which is hereby transferred to the Department of Arkansas. General Blunt will accordingly repair to Little Rock, Ark., and report in person for instructions to Major General J. J. Reynolds, commanding Department of Arkansas.

* * *

By command of Major-General Pope:

JOS. McC. BELL,
Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,

Saint Louis, Mo., April 22, 1865.

Major General J. J. REYNOLDS,

Commanding Department of Arkansas, Little Rock:

GENERAL: This note will be handed to you to Major-General Blunt, who is ordered to report to you for duty to command District of South Kansas, which is annexed to your department and extended to include the Indian country west of Arkansas, except the post of Fort Smith.

You will perceive from the copy of my letter to the General-in-Chief sent you by the hands of General, Duffie,* that I propose to organize a force of 5,000 mounted men (partly the reorganized Cherokee Indians now at Fort Gibson) for service therein designated. I design General Blunt for this command. Please give him the necessary instructions on the subject. A sufficient mounted force in addition to the Indians you can supply in time to make the mounted forced specified for movement from Fort Gibson.

There should also be furnished to this mounted force under General Blunt a proper proportion of light artillery. Mountain howitzers on prairie carriages will, I suppose, be best. Let me know as soon as you can if you have such guns.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

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* See April 8, p. 50.

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Page 158 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.