Today in History:

353 Series I Volume XLI-III Serial 85 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part III

Page 353 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

tions to investigate the matter, collect the amount from the company, and deposit the money at these headquarters to be paid to the injured parties. Captain Lamport left this place this morning with the company for Fort Leavenoworth without taking any steps to carry out my instructions in regard to this matter. I have now to request that you will take such measures as you tnink to collect from the quilty partie the amount of damages claimed by these citizens, and place it in the hands of some reliable person to be paid over to them.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. SYKES,

Major-General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
Ojo Caliente, N. Mex., September 24, 1864.

Captain CYRUS H. DE FORREST,

Acting Assiastant Adjutant-General, Santa Fe, N. Mex.:

DEAR CAPTAIN: I received your note and the papers this morning. Tell Captain Lewis to say to Colonel Brown that he can appoint recruiting officers from amongs those in this regiment not mustered out, i, e., one of Captain Stombs's company for Franklin; one of Witham's at Las Cruses (Stombs and Witham are eligible); one of the Craig officers for Craig; one of Johnson's for Fort Union, and one of Gorham's company or Fritz's company for Fort Summer. The men enlisted will be assigned first to fill Fritz's company, then to fill Company A, and so on. The department order regulating the recruits for Colonel Selden's regiment will be the rule for all officers out of service who wish to raise companies to fill the First Cavalry California Volunteers. The companies (A, C, D, and E) will be filled or raised as if they never existed. Of course the man who can raise a company will be appointed to command it, andthe Governor of California will be requested to issue the commission to him. If Captain Nichols or any other captain or officer or man fit to be an officer can enlist a company the rule is plain. Say to Captain Lewis that he can write to Nichols or to any one Colonel Brown will recommend for captain and give him the same instructions about raising men as were given to Selden's captains. I will confirm their appointments. All men enlisted below the Jornada will be sent to [Las] Cruses; those enlisted at Craig will be retained there; those enlisted at Union or Summer will be kept at those posts. Orders will afterward be given where each company will be finally orgized. When I say that Company B (Fritz's) will be filled first, I mean by assingnment of men recruited by officers remaining in the service, unless those men enlist for some special company. When this company is full then the next one shall have the help of this general recruiting, and so on. I do not wish Colonel Carson to be fitted out with an extensive expedition now, but wish this: If he can get, say, not less than 200 or more than 300 Utes to go, starting at once, he can have the help of twenty-five cavalry from the California company at Union, and the help of the troops already on the plains. If he cannot go with these the idea must be given up until I can get more force at Union. In case he can go with these and have the help of the troops already out, as indicated in my letter to him of the 18th instant, then he is to have rifles (old and worn) and powder and ball and a blanket apiece, and rations for the Utes, the rifles to be given up on the return of the Utes. This covers the whole ground that I can agree to now. When winter sets in and

23 R R-VOL XLI, PT III


Page 353 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.