ment to perform its promises and in its good faith. The Cherokee and Creek troops are in their respective countries. The Choctaw troops are in front of me, in their country, part on this side of Boggy and part at Little Boggy, 34 miles from here. These observe the roads to Fort Smith and by Perryville toward Fort Gibson. Part of the Chickasaw battalion is sent to Camp McIntosh, 11 miles this side of the Wichita Agency, and part to Fort Arbuckle, and the Texan company is at Fort Cobb.

I have ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Jumper with his Seminoles to march to and take Fort Larned, on the Pawnee Fork of the Arkansas, where are considerable stores and a little garrison. He will go as soon as their annuity is paid.

The Creeks under Colonel McIntosh are about to make an extended scout westward. Stand Watie, with his Cherokees, scouts along the whole northern line of the Cherokee country from Grand Saline to Marysville, and sends me information continually of every movement of the enemy in Kansas and Southwestern Missouri.

The Comanches, Kiowas, and Reserve Indians are all peaceable and quiet. Some 2,000 of the former are encamped about three days' ride from Fort Cobb, and some of them come in at intervals to procure provisions. They have sent to me to know if they can be allowed to send a strong party and capture any trains on their way from Kansas to New Mexico, to which I have no objection. To go on the war-path somewhere else is the best way to keep them from troubling Texas. I hear no complaints now from the Texan frontier, but Agent Leeper informs me that some Anadarkos have lately been over there and stolen some horses. I mean soon to invite the Reserve and Comanche chiefs to visit me, and let them see the troops here and the great guns and witness the effect of a rocket or two, that they may know we have the power either to protect or punish them.

I propose also to send at intervals bodies of cavalry of 150 or 200 men each into the Cherokee and Creek country and perhaps to the west, to assure those tribes that the Confederate States are ready to assist them and do not mean to abandon their country.

At this point I hold the roads to Fort Smith and Fort Gibson, to Forts Washita, Arbuckle, and Cobb, and to Sherman, Bonham, and Preston, in Texas, all of which here cross the Blue by a bridge. The field works planned here will command the roads and the country around. A way of retreat to Red River at different points will be opened to me, and I can procure ample supplies of forage and subsistence. I could not have procured either on the Arkansas or Canadian.

I hope to be able by means of the works here and with the artillery I have, even if my other forces are not increased, to hold the Indian country against any force that can invade it. A force invading Texas from the north cannot leave us in its rear. If I can prevent the Indian country from being occupied by the enemy I shall be content. To do so I am striving to have my small force here drilled and disciplined, to which and to working with the spade and pick-axe the volunteers I have are much averse, but I think I shall overcome their aversion to it and still not lose their good-will. I had some trouble at first, but what discontents existed have disappeared, and all seem willing to do their duty.

I have sent requisitions to Memphis and New Orleans, and hope to be able to supply the deficiencies in the ammunition and quartermaster store procured by me for the command. I hardly expect to receive