SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 234.
Richmond, Va., November 22, 1861.

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7. The Indian country west of Arkansas and north of Texas is constituted the Department of Indian Territory, and Brigadier General Albert Pike, Provisional Army, is assigned to the command of the same. The troops of this department will consist of the several Indian regiments raised or yet to be raised within the limits of the department.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Columbus, Ky., November 23, 1861.

General THOMPSON:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs me to express his gratification on the receipt of your dispatch,* and to say that he desires you to keep your command well in hand, hand to continue your works at new Madrid, with a view o holding that point securely in our possession. He wishes me to urge upon you the necessity of having the slaves now employed there sent every evening to the Tennessee side of the river after the completion of their daily labor. The general wishes you to keep your scouts well out.

I am, general, yours,

[Signed by some one of General Pillow's staff.]

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION MISSOURI STATE GUARD,
Camp New Madrid, Mo., November 23, 1861.

Colonel W. G. PHEELAN,

Commanding Second Regiment, Camp Blanton, Mo.:

DEAR COLONEL: Yours of this morning, by Major Powers, is at hand.+ I am sorry to hear so bad an account of your men, and hope that you will instil more patriotism, patience, and obedience into them. They are not suffering more than any of the other regiments;in fact much less, because they are as well provided for and are within a few miles of home, were they hear from their families daily; whereas the brave men from Cass, Bollinger, Ripley, Washington, &c., are here, equally exposed and remote from their friends. Our terms of enlisted will now soon, expire, and, in the reorganization, I hope that we will not find so many home-sick men. If you have not plenty of wood and straw where you are you might move a few miles to where such things can be had; but upon no consideration should you go far from the west end of the Blanton road. I admire the patriotism that you and Kitchen displayed in being willing to sacrifice your property for the public, but I cannot compliment either your discretion or judgment in pressing the occupation of Bloomfield with a small force at this time. As soon as the fort is completed here and the grand march

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* See Thompson to Pillow, November 16, 1861, Series I, Vol. III, p. 740.

+ Not found.

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