Today in History:

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

Page 992 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.

in obedience to orders given previous to this date, and it will be sufficient authority for them to proceed to this point and disembark, where they will receive further orders.

By order of Major-General Weitzel:

D. D. WHEELER,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

OFFICE COMMISSIONER OF PAROLES,

Camden, Ark., June 25, 1865.

Lieutenant H. C. WORTHINGTON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report our safe arrival here on the 18th, and progressing finely (paroling). Colonel Gillpatrick hopes to be through by Monday evening. In that event we will return immediately. The Confederate soldiers are very anxious to be paroled, and exhibit a desire to return to their homes and remain there in quietness. The citizens are very quiet and hospitable.

Very respectfully, Your obedient servant,

J. C. KENNEDY,

Captain, Thirteenth Illinois Cav. Vols., and Asst. Commissioner.


HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Camden, Ark., June 25, 1865.

Colonel JOHN LEVERING,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of Arkansas:

COLONEL: Your dispatches have been received. In regard to the Beach Hill Landing, twenty miles below here, a party has already been sent there for the purpose of examining the warehouses and to see what labor may be necessary to put them in fit condition for storing supplies; also to procure such other information as may be of use to us. From all the information I can obtain from citizens I am yet confident that light-draft boats will be able to come to Beach Hill for some weeks yet. For the purpose of taking advantage of the good water now in the Washita I think it would be advisable to procure our supplies from Vicksburg or New Orleans. Both are about the same distance from here, and boats can make the trip in much less time than to mouth of White river or Memphis. The Virginia Barton, from Little Rock, arrived on the 23rd and will leave this p. m. for Vicksburg. The forage question is likely to give us some trouble. All the corn thus far received from Little Rock is utterly worthless, and I cannot see why it should be sent, as I have good evidence that it was much damaged when it was shipped. A train of 105 wagons which arrived here a few days since loaded with forage was actually a dead loss to this post. In consequence of the corn that they brought being spoiled the quartermaster had to issue forage from supplies that he had on hand to take the train back to Pine Bluff. I will take it as a favor if You will call the attention of captain Noble to this matter as soon as he returns. Lieutenant-Colonel Gillpatrick has go through with the business of paroling and everything is very quiet again. We start a courier through to Pine Bluff at 4 a. m. 26th instant. I shall send a short dispatch to be telegraphed from the Bluff, which I hope will reach You in twelve hours


Page 992 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.