HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Governor FLETCHER, Jefferson City: General Pope is in the city. You had better come down and see him if you can. G. M. DODGE, Major-General. CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., February 28, 1865. Major HANNAHS, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General: The bridge over the White Water on Bloomfield road was washed off last Sunday. I had men there at the time, but they could not save it. Have ordered the assistant quartermaster here to rebuild it as soon as possible. I will start to Bloomfield in about an hour. H. M. HILLER, Colonel BEVERIDGE, Pilot Knob: PATTERSON, February 28, 1865. We have direct information that Reves, Kitchen, and Freeman are at or near Cherokee Bay. Was reported with from 300 to 3,000 men. What they intend to do not known. JAS. SMITH, Captain, Commanding Post. P. S.-Send us from regimental headquarters 3,000 rounds Spencer carbine ammunition. J. S. LICKING, TEXAS COUNTY, Mo., February 28, 1865. Capt. J. H. STEGER, Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Rolla: CAPTAIN: The scouts sent below Thomasville have not yet returned. From best information I can gain, Freeman is in Arkansas near head of Spring River. He has not over 250 men. There are very few bushwhackers in this section. A company of citizen guards was organized here to-day. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry Volunteers. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DIST. OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, Springfield, Mo., February 28, 1865. * III. Capt. William Brixey, Company G, Forty-sixth Missouri Infantry Volunteers, commanding at Bloomington, Mo., will upon receipt of this order leave a detachment of one lieutenant and twenty men at Bloomington, with a sufficient amount of camp and garrison equipage, &c., and will report with the balance of his command at this post for duty. * * By order of Brig. Gen. J. B. Sanborn: * WM. T. KITTREDGE, HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, W. K. LATHIM, Esq., and others, Greenfield, Mo.: GENTLEMEN: Your communication of the 22d instant came duly to hand, and its contents are noted. All that is therein stated in regard to the sufferings, privations, and wrongs of the people of that county had before been communicated to me, and I have no doubt of its truth. The Government and all of its competent and reflecting officials have for a long time been aware of your position, and have for more than a year furnished you abundant force to assure the fullest protection and security if properly used and handled. The number of troops now stationed in your county is 146 men. This force is at the towns of Greenfield and Melville, and is more force than is stationed in any other county of the district that does not lie upon our main lines of communication, and is fully adequate, when properly used, to hold and protect the entire county against any force of the enemy not exceeding 500 men, and this is a far larger number than has been brought in the county since I have commanded the district. With the forts constructed at the towns occupied in accordance with existing orders, thirty men would be abundant to hold them against an attack of 200 of the enemy. This leaves you eighty men, or deducting the usual number of daily duty men and sick, fully sixty men who may be constantly employed to patrol the remote parts of the county, and every officer who understands his duty will keep them thus employed. The trouble in your section has been that our troops have been kept where the enemy was not instead of where the enemy was, when he has been in there in any force. The officers will all be paid up in a few days, and after this, unless they discharge their duties with more promptness and energy, changes will at once be made. The county cannot expect a larger force stationed there than at present, although I expect a company to be stationed west in Barton County during the summer, and if I am compelled to withdraw one company from your county as the present troops muster out of service, I will endeavor to have a company of militia organized to take its place. Assuring you that every endeavor will be made to have the troops in your section handled with more vigor and effect, I remain, with sentiments of high regard, your obedient servant, JOHN B. SANBORN, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF UPPER ARKANSAS, ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL, Department of the Missouri: SIR: I have the honor to report for the information of the majorgeneral commanding Department of the Missouri my arrival at this post; was delayed by heavy storms of snow and rain, bad roads, and high waters, or should have been here some days ago. I inclose you herewith report of H. D. Janes, chief of scouts of this district, who has thoroughly scouted or caused to be scouted the country north, northwest, and northeast of this post. They report no recent Indian sigus whatever north of the Arkansas. Sergeant Nettleton with fifteen men made a scout south of the Arkansas. Saw plenty of fresh Indian signs, and ascertained without a doubt that all the depredations that have been committed on this route since I have been in command were perpetrated by Indians south of this. They are the same tribes that Colonel Leavenworth held his interview with, and who are now suing for peace. I telegraphed you Colonel Leavenworth's report, but as yet have received no answer. My opinion is that these Indiairs should be chastised before making peace with them or giving them any presents whatever. Sergeant Nettleton describes the country through which he followed the trails as very rough and broken. It would be impossible to take a train of wagons through. Pack-mules would be much better. It is now spring; their ponies are poor. With a pack train they could be followed, caught, and severely punished, as they richly deserve. From the best information I can get there are no Indians at the present time in the district between the Arkansas and the Platte, except roving bands of warriors. They have no doubt moved their families north, in the neighborhood of the Black Hills. At Fort Zarah I find that the fieldworks and fortifications as planned by the engineers are altogether too large and extensive. I have not the troops to either build or properly defend them after they are finished. I ordered Captain Greene, Second Colorado Cavalry, commanding post, to immediately have built a blockhouse, or earth-works, where a few men could hold the post against any number of Indians. He is now building an octagonal fortification of stone, where fifty men can defend the post against 3,000 Indians. Captain Moses, Second Colorado Cavalry, commanding this post (Fort Larned), is building a similar one for this post, draughts of which will be forwarded by next mail. It is impossible for our quartermaster to hire laborers here, and nearly all our quartermaster work is done by soldiers, which very materially reduces our force for effective duty in the field. We now have on duty and extra duty in the quartermaster's department a very large force. Our men are on duty every day, either guard, fatigue, or escorting coach or Government trains, &c. I now have the troops of my command stationed as follows: One company Twelfth Kansas Infantry at Fort Riley, Kans., Major Pritchard, Second Colorado Cavalry, commanding; one company Seventh Iowa Cavalry at Salina, Kans., Captain Hammer commanding; two companies at Fort Ellsworth, one Second Colorado Cavalry, and one Seventh Iowa Cavalry, Captain Clark, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, commanding post; at Fort Zarah, four companies Second Colorado Cavalry, Captain Greene commanding; Fort Larned, four companies Second Colorado Cavalry, two companies Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, Captain Moses commanding; one company Second Colorado Cavalry on escort, provost, scouting, and other duty. I have little faith in the promises of the Indians south of the Arkansas, and am looking for a raid on this end of my district during the light of the present.moon. Mr. Janes and Sergeant Nettleton are both deserving of much credit for the able and efficient scouting and elaborate reports made to me at the end of each scout. Colonel Leavenworth has probably reported to you by letter his interview with the Kiowas, Comanches, and Apaches. He seems to have every confidence in them and believes they will do as they promised. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. H. FORD, Colonel, Commanding. Lieut. J. E. TAPPAN, [Inclosure.] FORT LARNED, KANS., February 28, 1865. Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Fort Riley, Kans.: SIR: I have nothing of importance to report as having transpired since last report, 20th instant, Sergeant Nettleton having reported his scout direct upon his arrival at Fort Zarah. The horses of the Independent Scouts, as well as the men themselves, are in great need of rest, having encountered during their last scout the late severe storms. As soon as the condition of the stock will permit, it is my intention to make a thorough scout south of the Arkansas as far as the Cimarron south of the mouth of the Mulberry; thence, if possible, east to the mouth of the Little Arkansas. From what I can gather from old Indian traders, &c., here, the country south of the Nescatunga or Little Arkansas, in the vicinity of Salt Plains, is headquarters of the Kiowas, as well as northern ou post for the Comanches, and it is evident from the report of Nettleton of his scout south of the river that the bands that have been committing depredations on this road belong to one or the other of those tribes, and that they came from and went in that direction. The sergeant thinks it useless to cross the river without a stronger force than his scout, he finding it prudent to return from the mouth of Mulberry. The captain commanding has given me the promise of twenty-five more men, but to move with so many will require at least four more pack animals. If, therefore, you approve of my plan please send four pack mules, saddles, and sacks, and one mule to replace one the scouts now have, which is unserviceable. I should like to make a more extended scout if the men can be spared. The forty men from here with fifteen days' rations to strike the Cimarron and up that stream, returning via Fort Lyon, leaving the country to the east to be scouted by a party from Zarah, south and east to meet a party from Riley or Chelsea west. A scout west from Chelsea would, after crossing the river, fall in with the Caddoes, from whom much useful information could be obtained. Am informed by the post quartermaster that he has two or three extra mules and pack-saddles. The mules, however, are in poor condition and not fit for either scout contemplated, and in making either of the above trips would wish to be well fixed. Please advise of which, if either, of the above meets your approval. If not, be kind enough to issue more explicit instructions. The dangers and difficulties of crossing the river renders it imperative that a force cross strong enough to withstand the roving bands that infest the southern banks of the Arkansas. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Scout, &c. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Brigadier-General DAVIES, Fort Leavenworth : As soon as the Second U. S. [Volunteers] is armed and equipped send it to Fort Riley to report to Colonel Ford. G. M. DODGE, Major-General. FORT LEAVENWORTH, February 28. 1865–9.45 p. m. Major-General DODGE: The Second U. S. Volunteers will march at 8 o'clock to-morrow morning for Riley under command of Captain Wyman, 900 strong. Field officers and some company officers have not yet arrived. Twenty-five teams carry ten days' rations, camp equipage, and 180,000 rounds of ammunition. Let me know if, and how much of, the transportation shall be left with the regiment at Riley; it is wanted here. THOS. A. DAVIES, Brigadier-General. SPECIAL ORDERS, Į HDQRS. DISTRICT OF NORTH KANSAS, 1. The Second Regiment U. S. Volunteers, under the command of Capt. L. F. Wyman, will march to-morrow morning at 8.30 o'clock for Fort Riley, Kans., and report to Colonel Ford, commanding District of Upper Arkansas. GRAND ISLAND, February 28, 1865-2 p. m. Major-General DODGE: FORT KEARNY, February 27, 1865. Scouts report snow too deep for work. Standing Elk, friendly Indian met by them, says snow very deep on Niobrara, and snowing very heavily when he left there a short time since. Main body of Indians on Powder River; all statements concurring that it will be impossible to reach them before spring. All quiet at Fort Rankin and Pole Creek. No coaches from Atchison yet. I fear troops from Kansas are delayed by high water. R. R. LIVINGSTON, With your permission I will reach Indians on Powder River as soon as the march can be made, regardless of snow. All I want is the troops and supplies sufficient. ROBT. B. MITCHELL, Brigadier-General, Commanding. GRAND ISLAND, February 28, 1865-2 p. m. Major-General DODGE: The following dispatch just received from two Indian scouts sent from Fort Laramie: FORT LARAMIE, NEBR. TER., February 27, 1865. Two Indian scouts just come in from the north say Cheyennes are about 130 miles north of this place; have 800 lodges. They are moving in the direction of Powder River, and will be joined by others that will make them number from 1,800 to 2,000 lodges. They have sent the friendly Sioux in this country word to leave here, as they intend to clean the country. The oldest citizens in this country are leaving or |