WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, March 19, 1863 - 1:35 p. m.

Colonel P. E. CONNOR,

Cammp Douglas, Salt Lake City, Utah:

All arms and military munitions intended for use against the authority of the United States are liable to seizure. You will exercese your discretion in regard to making such seizures. You will be cautions and prudent, but when you act do so with firmness and decision.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON,
Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., Mach 19, 1863.

Major J. S. RINEARSON,

First Oregon Cavalry, Commanding Officer Fort Lapwai, Idaho Ter.:

SIR: The general commanding the district directs you to toward immediately to Mr. J. W. Anderson, Indian agent, the inclosed communication of this date, and to afford to him your cordial co-operation and cultivation of the soil on the Nez Perce Reservation in contempt of the treaty.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FREDERIC MEARS,

First Lieutenant, Ninth Infantry, U. S. Army, Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

[Inclosure.] HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON, Forth Vancouver, Wash. Ter., March 19, 1863.

J. W. ANDERSON, Esq.,

Indian Agent Nez Perce Reservation:

(Through Commanding Officer Forth Lapwai, Idaho Ter.)

SIR: Herewith I inclose a slip* from the newspaper, The Golden Age, published in yur vicinity, calling in the most incendiary manner upon the whites to settle, occupy, plow up, and acultivate the lands upon the reservation without regard to the Indian title, and in contempt of any treaty which may be made with them. If there was time to communicate with your superintendent of Indian affairs, Mr. Hale, I should direct this lettr to him instead of to yourself; but I think the vigorously checkmate any such scheme. Major Rinearson, the, commanding officer at Fort Lapwai, has been instructed to aid you efficiently in preventing any such attempts. Vigilance is especially necessary this spring, and it has been my constract desire, as I have repeatedly stated to you, that cordial co-operation with the Indian Department should be exhibited by the military in the protection of the Indians, so far as practicable, in all their righs. It is perfectly practicable to remove those who

would attempt to make such improvemets and to tear down their improvements. Such acts on the part of the whites could only have the effect to exite and aggravate the minds of the Indians. Besides the duty of protecting the Indians I especially desire to aid in the preservation of the peace of the frontiers. One

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* Not found.

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