toward the Deep Fork of Canadian [River] and the Seminole Agency, and that only 100 men remain with Jumper. This is true, because I have seen his letter calling the Chickasaws to his assistance. At his most opportune moment an officer and men from Little Rock and engaged in removing from the country to that place the twelve Parrott guns at Fort McCulloch, in pursuance of the letter and order of which I inclose a copy, marked L.* I offer no comment on all this. Six of the guns I learn are intended for Etter's company, which sought to come to me from Arkansas, and was thereupon ordered to Little Rock. One single circumstances I note: My son had been endeavoring for many weeks to raise an artillery company for me at Little Rock, and was allowed by General Hindman, not very long before the date of this order, to leave that place with 25 men, who arrived at Fort McCulloch some twelve days ago. These recruits and my son were allowed to make that journey, and when they were hardly out of sight the very guns which the company were to have received were ordered away. An act like that is beyond the necessity of comment. I forward to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs the letter in regard to the wild tribes, who will lay it before the President. An action has taken place at Fort Gibson between 400 Cherokees and 200 Choctaws. Thus these poor Indians are made to fight each other because there is no white force in the country. The Cherokee and Creek countries are irreparably lost. If General Heth's appointment had been confirmed, McCulloch's advise listened to, the advance of General Van Dorn not made, the enemy waited for at Boston Mountains, the disasters of Elkhorn and the flight from it would not have happened; the supplies for the Indians would have been allowed to reach them; there would have been a force in the country sufficient to hold it, and General Hindman would not have been sent out to complete the immense mischief so well begun by General Van Dorn, and to strip the country here of every means of defense left in it at the very instant when those means were most needed.

I am the President's most obedient servant,

A. P.

[Indorsement.]

Secretary of War for attention. Send a copy of this to General Holmes for report. Send extract of so much as makes allegations against General Van Dorn to him for reply.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

JULY 31, 1862.

To the Chiefs and People of the Cherokees Creeks, Seminoles, Chickasaws, and Choctaws:

I have resigned the command of the Indian Territory and been relieved of that command. I have done this because I received on the 11th of this month an order to go out of your country to Fort Smith and Northwestern Arkansas, there to remain and organize troops and defend that country, instead of remaining in your country, where the President had placed me; a duty which would have kept me out of your country for months. When I made treaties with you I promised you

---------------

* Not found.

---------------