manding at Fayetteville, dispatches that 300 of the enemy,under Brown and Holmes, are at Cane Hill; 325, under Stand Watie, and Adair, a short distance west of Bentonville; Pickler, with 75 men, near Cincinnati; Pleasanton, with 150 men, east of War Eagle; 100 guerrillas in the vicinity of Huntsville. My opinion is that this force is all overestimated, but Major Cosgrove will find out and report who and what it is.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., May 2, 1864.

Chaplain FRED. H. WINES,

Springfield, Mo.:

The general commanding directs that you will see that subsistence is furnished to all destitute refugees until they can be started to and transported to Rolla, Mo. Refugees, like other people must eat or starve. They need subsistence every day, and it is the policy of the Government to give every day to such as cannot obtain food for themselves. When we send them forward to Rolla our obligations do not cease until they are delivered at that post.

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

W. D. HUBBARD,

First Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., May 2, 1864

Chaplain FRED. H. WINES,

Springfield, Mo.:

Your communication is received. I do not see that you make out a case in which rations should not be issued. These people say they have nothing to eat. You do not say they have. This is the only question, I think, for to-day. The policy of the Government is not to starve people, and not allow any portion of its population to starve itself or commit suicide in any other way, the population of the country being its wealth and power. You will therefore hereafter, in all cases where parties are out of food and without means to supply themselves with it, issue refugee rations to them until they can be sent away or some other disposition made of them.

You will not consult their wishes or desires in regard to being moved, but when the interests of the Government, which ordinarily will coincide with the true interest of the parties, requires that these refugees be removed to a post on a railroad or river, order them to proceed on a day designated by you and a quartermaster's train having furnished them sufficient rations to last them to their place of destination. No parties, however, should be sent away who are likely to be producers in this section this year, or who will probably be able to support themselves within sixty or ninety days.

With the above suggestions, which I desire to apply generally, I hope you will be able to manage your department with less trouble to me and headquarters. It has been almost as much trouble to me for the past week as if I was managing the matter alone and without any officer to attend to it.