GENERAL ORDERS, Į HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Little Rock, Ark., January 2, 1865. No. 1. I. The post and defenses of Little Rock will in future constitute one command, to be known as the Post of Little Rock. II. Brig. Gen. F. Salomon, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby appointed to the command of the Post of Little Rock. III. The troops for the garrison of the defenses (to be hereafter assigned), the provost-marshal of the post, the military prison, the enrolled militia, and all that pertains to the police and good order of the city will be under the immediate orders of the post commander. IV. All troops in the vicinity of the post will, when within the defenses, conform to such police regulations as may be established by the post commander. By order of Maj. Gen. J. J. Reynolds: SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 1. W. D. GREEN, Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Little Rock, Ark., January 2, 1865. I. The Fourth Brigade of the Reserve Corps (except the Ninetysixth Ohio and Thirty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry) will proceed without delay to New Orleans, La., and report to the headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi. The commanding officer of each transport will, on arrival at Morganza, report by telegraph to headquarters military division the probable hour of his arrival at New Orleans; also the strength of his command. The quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation. * * By command of Maj. Gen. J. J. Reynolds: JOHN LEVERING, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Lieut. Col. I. W. FULLER, Lewisburg, Ark.: Communicate if possible with the two colored regiments on south side of river and direct them to cross to the north side if practicable, and warn them of the rebel force on the south side of the river. By order of Maj. Gen. J. J. Reynolds: JOHN LEVERING, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Brig. Gen. A. SHALER, Commanding, Devall's Bluff: January 2, 1865. Brigadier-General West will communicate with you in reference to guard to be furnished steamer going up White River. You will furnish General West with the guard he desires and obey his instructions. By order of Maj. Gen. J. J. Reynolds: JOHN LEVERING, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Brig. Gen. A. SHALER, Commanding, Devall's Bluff: January 2, 1865. You can visit Little Rock and confer with General West here this p. m. He will be notified of your coming. By order of Maj. Gen. J. J. Reynolds: JOHN LEVERING, Assistant Adjutant-General. LEWISBURG, January 2, 1865. Capt. J. H. PRATT, Assistant Quartermaster, Little Rock: Reliable information states a force of 350 men with one small piece of artillery. General Thayer has two colored regiments coming down on the south side of the river. HENRY WOOD. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF MISSISSIPPI, Lieut. Col. C. T. CHRISTENSEN, Assistant Adjutant-General, Headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi, New Orleans, La.. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the information of the major-general commanding division, a telegram* from Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, commanding Department of the Cumberland and temporarily commanding the Military Division of the Mississippi. I presume General Thomas refers particularly to Colonel Kargé's cavalry brigade, which I found under orders when I arrived at Memphis, from his chief of cavalry, to proceed to Nashville, and which I detained, together with the detachments of the Third and Fourth Iowa and Tenth Missouri Cavalry, to enable me to comply with the orders of MajorGeneral Halleck, chief of staff, to cut the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. I request that the two infantry divisions under command of Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith, formerly the First and Second Divisions (Right Wing), Sixteenth Army Corps, now at or near Nashville, may be returned to this command, to give me a small movable force. These troops were under your orders to join me from Missouri, when they were temporarily diverted to re-enforce the Army of the Cumberland. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, N. J. T. DANA, [Indorsement.] Major-General. HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Respectfully forwarded. General Thomas' telegram, in terms, embraces all the troops on the east bank of the river above Port Hudson, except three regiments. The infantry cannot be replaced by any troops under my control. The cavalry can be replaced, and I have already ordered two regiments from the Department of the Gulf to report to General Dana, and will make up the deficiency from the Department of Arkansas. The troops *See Vol. XLV, Part II, p. 341. of General A. J. Smith's command will be very useful, if they can be spared from General Thomas, but are not indispensable. I have been making provision for this contingency by diminishing the number of posts on the river, and reducing the works at others, so as to be held by smaller garrisons. ED. R. S. CANBY, Major-General, Commanding. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Saint Louis, Mo., January 2, 1865. No. 2. 7. Maj. C. H. Gregory, Seventh Kansas Cavalry, is hereby assigned to duty as chief of cavalry and acting ordnance officer on the staff of Brig. Gen. Thomas Ewing, jr., commanding Saint Louis District, and will report forthwith accordingly. By command of Major-General Dodge: General EWING: J. W. BARNES, Assistant Adjutant-General. PILOT KNOB, January 2, 1865. From the information Captain Leeper brings me, and from all that I can obtain from, citizens coming here from Northern Arkansas, I am satisfied the rebel leaders in that section are making an effort to get all their men into camp at this time. Captain Leeper thinks they are to meet on the 20th of this month. If possible I wish you would send me some more troops, so that I can keep scouting parties in that direction. There are so many outposts to hold that I have no men left for scouting purposes. H. M. HILLER, SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DIST. OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, No. 2. } Springfield, Mo., January 2, 1865. I. A permanent post will be established in the vicinity of Warsaw, Mo., on the south side of the Osage River. * By order of Brig. Gen. J. B. Sanborn: WM. T. KITTREDGE, Assistant Adjutant-General. Maj. C. S. CHARLOT, FORT RILEY, KANS., January 2, 1865. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dept. of Kansas, Fort Leavenworth : MAJOR: I have the honor to call the attention of the general commanding to the following extract from the Rocky Mountain News, a paper published at Denver, Colo. Ter. While in command of the District of Upper Arkansas I had the honor to report to the general com manding that in my opinion the Indians would gather in the locality mentioned in this extract, and also recommended a permanent force on the Republican, as suggested. Respectfully forwarded through headquarters District of Upper Arkansas. THE SECOND COMING. It affords us especial gratification to announce that His Excellency Governor Evans has received positive assurances from the proper authorities that the Second Regiment of Colorado Volunteers shall be sent to the plains to join in the Indian campaign. They are already in Kansas, a portion of them at least as far west as Fort Riley, and the probabilities are that they will at once advance into the Indian country. They are veterans, well appointed and equipped, and will prove a powerfully effective force against the redskins. They are exactly at the right starting point and at the right time. Their recent terrible defeat on Sandy Creek has driven the savages eastward upon the Lower Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers. The Second is near where the two unite to form the Kansas, and can at once move up one or the other or both of their valleys. A prompt movement will doubtless enable them to give the red devils another sound trouncing, which will effectually close the Indian war between the Platte and Arkansas. Another step that cannot be undertaken a moment too soon is the establishment of a strong military post in that middle country. A good fort, well garrisoned, with a cavalry force, on the Smoky Hill or Republican Rivers, would at once. break up the Indian rendezvous thereabouts, and drive those who are hostile beyond the two great rivers. We wonder that the War Department has so long overlooked the necessity for its establishment. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, B. S. HENNING, Maj., Third Wis. Cav. Vols., Comdg. Detach. Third Wis. Cav. Vols. HEADQUARTERS EASTERN SUB-DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA, Maj. C. S. CHARLOT, Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter., January 2, 1865. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dept. of Kansas, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.: (Through headquarters District of Nebraska.) SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of military operations in this sub-district for the month of December, 1864.* The inclemency of the weather and the serious deficiency in clothing have to a great extent prevented the troops of this command from making as extended reconnaissances as I desired. It is to be regretted that a full supply of clothing for the men could not be obtained in due season. You will observe that the detachments sent out agree in discovering trails and signs of Indians as they approach the Solomon River; and although no camp of hostile Indians has been found, I am convinced that a large encampment of Cheyennes is on or near the South Branch of that river. The following is a résumé of scouts had during the month of December: 8th, 1864, Capt. Thomas J. Majors, First Nebraska Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, commanding post Plum Creek, Nebr. Ter., reports that a train of three wagons, eighteen men, was attacked at sundown by about 100 Indians six miles east of that post. Men took refuge in a deserted ranch and repulsed the Indians. Sent Capt. S. M. Curran, Company E, First Nebraska Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, with the squadron to the scene of the affair. Indians fled south and command returned. December 13, 1864, Capt. S. M. Curran, Company E, First Nebraska Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, Plum Creek, See also Itinerary, Vol. XLI, Part I, p. 980. Nebr. Ter., reports that scout of seven men returned last evening. Reports having seen about forty Indians forty miles south of that post. December 19, 1864, Capt. T. J. Majors, commanding post Plum Creek, Nebr. Ter., reports that in obedience to telegraphic order from headquarters Eastern Sub-District of Nebraska, he moved from that post on the morning of the 13th with thirty men and one howitzer from post Plum Creek, and fifty men, under command First Lieut. John P. Murphy, Company F, First Nebraska Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, from post Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter. Detachment from Plum Creek with the howitzer moved due south to headwaters of Spring Creek. With the detachment under Lieutenant Murphy, moved east eight miles, then southwest to headwaters Spring Creek, there meeting the detachment from Plum Creek; thence down Spring Creek fifteen miles and camped. Marched at daylight on the 14th; crossed the Republican River; scouted up and down this stream, finding no Indian signs. Then moved south to Beaver Creek, crossing Little Beaver; followed up Beaver Creek thirty-five miles and camped. Here found an Indian trail leading due south, about two days old. On the 15th continued the march up this stream ten miles and struck the Curtis trail, which was followed north to the Republican, where the command camped. On the 16th returned to post Plum Creek without making any discoveries of any importance. Whole distance traveled 160 miles. December 21, 1864, Capt. John Wilcox, Company B, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, commanding post O'Fallon's Bluffs, Nebr. Ter., reports that scout started from that post on the 15th, moving south forty miles to Willow Creek; thence down that stream to its junction with the Republican sixty miles; thence up the Republican ten miles; saw no recent signs but of small hunting or scouting parties of Indians. Heavy snow-storm came on and scout returned to post O'Fallon's Bluffs. December 21, 1864, Capt. E. B. Murphy, Company A, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, commanding post Alkali, Nebr. Ter., reports that scout, consisting of one sergeant and seventeen men of his company, started from that post on the 16th, south to head of Spring Branch, forty-five miles, and camped. On the 17th moved down to White Man's Fork and down that stream; thence across to main branch of White Man's Fork; from thence to Stinking Water, and from its mouth to its source, and from there returned to post Alkali. Saw no Indians, but plenty fresh signs. Absent four days; two nights without fuel. January 2, 1865, Col. S. W. Summers, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, commanding post Fort Cottonwood, reports that scout sent out from that post came across fifty Indian warriors on the divide between the Beaver and Solomon Rivers, 125 miles southwest of that post. War party was traveling northeast toward Plum Creek. In addition to the above numerous small parties acting as secret patrols have been sent out from the various posts, with a view to discovering encampments of hostile Indians, under instructions to travel at night and conceal themselves in cañons during the day. The reports from these, with the exception of the one which returned to Cottonwood on the 1st instant, are uninteresting. The severely cold weather and the promptness with which every Indian raiding party has been met by our troops seem to have discouraged the Indians in their attempts to murder and plunder travelers on this road during the past month. I have no doubt, however, that they will return as soon as the weather is propitious. No losses to us or the travelers on the road and no stoppage of the mail have occurred in the time reported for. All work on the fortifications at the posts of this sub-district has been |