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1180 Series I Volume XLVIII-II Serial 102 - Powder River Expedition Part II

Page 1180 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.

FORT LARAMIE, DAK. TER., August 12, 1865.

Major General G. M. DODGE,

Omaha or Kearny:

I consider it proper for me to state that the companies of Sixth Volunteers are now concentrating at Middle Park, Colo. Ter., preparatory to march for Utah, over new road via Uinta Valley. It was not proposed to send Eleventh Ohio Cavalry until October, and then over telegraph road. Your dispatch of to-day, "not to send troops to Utah until You arrive here," raises the question in my mind whether You would desire me, knowing these facts, to countermand order concentrating Sixth, U. S. Volunteers. We cannot afford to lose much time in getting infantry en route for Utah. The regiment can concentrate at Middle Park, get ready, and await orders to go on or return, as may be decided. Nearly all the companies are on road for that point and would experience difficulty in countermanding order now, besides creating expense and some confusion. I desire to do right, execute Your orders and wishes, in the absence of General Connor, promptly and correctly, and thus honor the confidence roused in me by my general. This is my excuse for this telegram to You.

GEO. F. PRICE,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

(In absence of General Connor.)

DETROIT, MICH., August 13, 1865-10 p. m.

Major General P. H. SHERIDAN,

New Orleans, La.:

The order for muster-out in Your command as made with the view of avoiding the necessity of sending cavalry horses to You and not with any idea that Your force should be reduced to the smallest wants for keeping Texas in the traces. The Imperial troops in Mexico still require watching, and before all the seed of the rebellion can be regarded as crushed out they must go back to their homes. We must hold ourselves ready to demand this.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.


HEADQUARTERS NORTHWEST INDIAN EXPEDITION,
Fort Berthold, August 13, 1865.

ASST. ADJT. General, DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI:

SIR: I expected on my reaching here that I would receive some notice that troops had been sent to me to garrison posts on the Upper Missouri, as the term of service of nearly all my troops expire during the winter and the regiments of the U. S. Volunteers are ordered to be mustered out, but I have received no such notice. The time when it is practicable for a boat to reach this point is about expiring, and in regard to Fort Union it is doubtful if more than one boat can go there and return. Under these circumstances I have ordered Fort Union to be abandoned if possible. This can be done without any great detriment to the public good. The only reason why I left a company there last year was that a large amount of property was stored there to build a post on the Yellowstone. A company of the First U. S. Volunteers now occupy that place, and I have directed the commanding officer to


Page 1180 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.