Today in History:

555 Series I Volume XLI-IV Serial 86 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part IV

Page 555 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

[Lieutenant Colonel] John M. Crebs, on board steamer Baltic, November 2; a captured private letter from Bradley County, Ark., October 22:

The forces in Louisiana and Arkansas are reported to have united about the 23rd of October, at Monroe, La., for an advance on Little Rock and Pine Bluff. The force is estimated at 12,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry. Thirty-five hundred cavalry were expected and 9,500 cavalry. The private letter above referred to states that the rebel forces were again concentrating in the Washita region for an advance, and states that it is on the supposition that the Federal forces have not been our troops had prevented an advance sooner. They estimate our force at Pine Bluff at 800, and at Little Rock at 6,000, behind the strongest fortifications. The re-enforcements spoken of from Texas may be the three regiments reported to have left Texas for Arkansas by the scout who lately passed through Texas. No attempt are made by any body of troops to cross the Mississippi from west to east between the mouth of White River and Greenville, Miss. At Cypress and Choctaw Bends there are nightly crossings with small boats, which are kept hidden in the daytime.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. JACKSON,

Second Lieutenant, Signal Corps, U. S. Army.


HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Brazos Santiago, Tex., November 14, 1864.

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Gulf:

MAJOR: I have permitted the Mexican refugees to return to Mexico. The inclosed list of public property belonging to the Mexican Government was retained in accordance with instructions from headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi. These horses are unserviceable and are consuming the limited supply of forage we get at this place. There are no facilities for taking care of the ordnance stores here and they are being rapidly damaged. I respectfully request authority to send all this property to New Orleans. I should do so without instructions but for the fact that I infer from Major-General Canby's letter of instructions that he designed them to be retained here.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. A. PILE,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers.

[Inclosure.]

List of ordnance and ordnance stores received from the Mexican Government: 221 muskets, 24 rifles, 157 bayonets, 212 cartridge-boxes, 4 drums, 5 trumpets, 3 6-pounder rifled brass pieces, with carriages and limber chest, with lot of loose ammunition in chests, 15 horses, 10 mules.

PRIVATE.] EXECUTIVE MANSION,

Washington, November 14, 1864.

Major-General HURLBUT:

Few things since I have been here have impressed me more painfully than what for four or five months past has appeared as bitter military opposition to the new State government of Louisiana. I still


Page 555 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.