have been given. After proceeding with Colonel Monroe as far in the direction of General Hindman's headquarters as may be deemed necessary, you will proceed with your command to such point within the limits of the Indian Territory, near Red River, as will enable you most conveniently to refit and equip the regiment which you command. You will use every exertion to cause a return to duty on the part of the misguided men who have deserted your ranks, and in this connection you will freely circulate the general order from department headquarters, tendering a full pardon to such as shall return to duty within a prescribed time.

The general commanding feels confident in the hope that you will soon have in the field a regiment ready for active service, and if constituted of such material as your present command has proven itself to be made of, it will surely add fresh honor to the arms of the Confederate States and to the gallant State from which you hail, as well as afford pride and satisfaction to the general who commands it. You will report the progress you make under this letter of instructions to these headquarters as often as convenient. The general commanding would be pleased to give an extended period of rest to the troops under your command, fully appreciating the arduous and laborious service through which they have passed, but, with the enemy in our very midst, energetically engaged in their accustomed work of ruin and devastation, it behooves us to lose not a moment in bringing into the field every man possessed of the spirit or the ability to defend all that is worth fighting for. It is, therefore, hoped that the duty devolving upon you will be consummated as early as possible. You will leave at this post 15 good effective men, as well mounted as possible, under the command of a commissioned officer, this detachment being required as a special escort to the commanding general.

By command of Brigadier-General Steele:

J. F. CROSBY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE INDIAN TERRITORY,
Fort Smith, Ark., January 27, 1863.

Colonel S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Little Rock:

COLONEL: I am receiving reports from the commands in the Indian country, and find them in an exceedingly destitute condition. General Cooper, at Johnson's Depot, has less than 500 pounds of flour, and very little of anything else. He has commenced moving toward Red River. The snow-storm, high water, and want of forage has prevented the trains from going to their destination with supplies. Speight's brigade I have ordered to diverge to the vicinity of Doaksville. I hear they will suffer for breadstuffs before they reach that place; the teams were in wretched condition when they left here. The recent appearance of a party of the enemy at Van Buren will, I suppose, deter the boats with supplies from coming up. The force was only 140 men, with one small cannon. Had the party from Dardanelle gone up, this force could have been punished, and the supplies, which are necessary to prevent suffering amongst the men and starvation amongst the animals, &c., have come through. I hope the attempt will be renewed with better success. The present state of the road, with impassable water courses, renders it morally certain that no supplies can come here from Texas. There being no corn here to supply the return trains is also an obstacle; in fact I know noth-