Today in History:

552 Series I Volume XXXIV-III Serial 63 - Red River Campaign Part III

Page 552 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., May 11, 1864.

Brigadier-General FISK:

The following dispatch has been received from the President of the United States:

Major-General ROSECRANS:

Complaints are coming to me of disturbances in Carroll. Platte, and Buchanan Counties. Please ascertain the truth; correct what is wrong and telegraph me.

A. LINCOLN.

Report at once by telegraph to these headquarters full reply to above.

By order of Major-General Pleasonton:

FRANK ENO,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, May 11, 1864.

Brigadier General THOMAS J. McKEAN,

Commanding District of South Kansas:

DEAR GENERAL: Yours of the 8th instant is just received, and I have fully indorsed and sent it to General Rosecrans, urging its accomplishment. He telegraphs me:

Brown is advised and alive to the business of taking care of all rebels who come to his district.

You see by this he is confident. He also says:

We expect to disperse the, destroy them.

Still we hear of General Brown's fuss with negroes, and nothing of his catching rebels who we know have marched deliberately up through his district. The trouble is, every rebel sympathizer in Missouri tries to prevent a cordial, united effort, on the ground that our troops are all Kansas jayhawkers, and "Keep your own side" is evidently the general feeling of commanders on your border, with some honorable exceptions. Then there is a mean indifference on the part of copperhead offices as to what is the consequence to exterior commands if they can rebels to be quiet in Missouri.

The best way is to encourage the militia by every means in our power to organize and take position with us. For this purpose I have called on the Governor and the Secretary of War to have them mobilized, armed, and equipped, and turned out as far as necessary, just as they are in Missouri, Illinois, and other Western States. If we can get the militia so arranged we can strike the rebels somewhere, and if you hear of them in force I hope you will strike anywhere in your vicinity, without regard to department lines, which were certainly never to screen rebels. Especially if Quantrill can be spied out, he would be. Great efforts should beamed for this purpose, and if he can be formed let him be slaughtered, if we have to violate all the department boundaries his side of hell itself. I am not the to have the murdered of my son prowling about my lines with impunity, and to God, general, you will exert all your ingenuity discover his place and crush the villain and outlaw.


Page 552 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.