placed in the hands of General Smith a copy of the correspondence between Lieutenant-General Grant and General R. E. Lee, commanding the Confederate forces in the field in the vicinity of Richmond, Va. His answer I have the honor to inclose herewith. My conversations were frequent and very full with General Smith, as well as with many other officers of rank in that service, in relation to the demand made; but the prevailing opinion was that more liberal terms should be granted to the Army of the Trans-Mississippi Department than those accepted by General Lee. The inclosed copies of papers obtained by me during my repeated conversations with the military and civil authorities of the Trans-Mississippi Department give more fully the character of my interview with them than any detailed statement I can make in this communication. At all times I declined entertaining their various propositions, which they deemed so necessary in vindication of their honor, in securing to the Trans-Mississippi Department peace and prosperity. I did not accede to the proposition that His Excellency Governor Allen, of Louisiana, should accompany me to your headquarters, thence to Washington City. I did not feel at liberty to give a safeguard to the governor of a rebel State.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN T. SPRAGUE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. Army, and Chief of Staff.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Commanding, &c., Saint Louis, Mo.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., May 9, 1865.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Commanding Military Division of the Missouri, Saint Louis:

GENERAL: Your communication of the 19th ultimo by the hands of Colonel John T. Sprague, U. S. Army, was received last evening. Your propositions for the surrender of the troops under my command are not such that my sense of duty and honor will permit me to accept. I regret that your communication should have been accompanied with a threat, or that you should have supposed that personal considerations would have influenced me in the discharge of my duties.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

General.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., May 9, 1865.

Their Excellencies HENRY W. ALLEN, Governor of Louisiana; PENDLETON MURRAH, Governor of Texas; H. FLANAGIN, Governor of Arkansas, and THOMAS C. REYNOLDS, Governor of Missouri:

GENTLEMEN: The surrender of General Lee, and the previous situation of the armies in North Carolina and Alabama, seem to preclude the probability of successful resistance in the States east of the Mississippi. The army under my command yet remains strong, fresh, and equipped. The disparity of numbers, though great, between it and our enemies may be counterbalanced by valor and skill. Under these circumstances it is my purpose to defend your soil and the civil and political rights of our people to the utmost extent of our resources,