29, 1865, I dispatched Lieutenant Colonel C. W. Davis, Fifty-first Illinois Infantry, assistant provost-marshal-general on my staff, and Captain J. F. Bennett, assistant adjutant-general, on duty at these headquarters, to Chalk Bluff, on the Arkansas border, to demand the surrender of Brigadier General M. Jeff. Thompson and all the Confederate forces subject to his orders. These officers proceed under letter of instruction, marked A, bearing my letter to General Thompson, marked B, herewith inclosed. After some correspondence, as shown in the report of Lieutenant-Colonel Davis (herewith inclosed, marked C),* General Thompson surrendered, and in accordance with agreement thereto made Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, Captain Bennett, and Captain Ford proceed May 20, 1865, on steam-boat to Wittsburg and Jacksonport, where the command of General Thompson was paroled, consisting of 636 officers and 6,818 enlisted men, as shown in the report of Lieutenant-Colonel Davis (herewith inclosed, marked D+). General Thompson's command being in the Department of Arkansas, I immediately, upon receipt of information of its surrender, notified General Reynolds of the fact by telegraph, and sent the following dispatches to Major-General Pope and Reynolds, requesting that the latter (General Reynolds) send staff officers to accompany mine to Wittsburg and Jacksonport, viz:

SAINT LOUIS, MO., May 15, 1865.

Major-General REYNOLDS,

Little Rock, Ark.:

The arrangement made provides that the command shall be paroled by me. My officers will leave here on the 20th on a boat and go to Wittsburg, on Saint Francis River. I should like to have you send some staff officers to accompany them, as it is in your department, and no doubt it would have a good effect to have you represented there. Please answer where your staff officers will meet mine, so I can instruct them.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., May 18, 1865.

Major-General POPE,

Headquarters Military Division of the Missouri:

I hear nothing from my telegram to General Reynolds. I requested him to send one or two staff officers to meet mine at some point to go with them to parole General Thompson's troops. I think he should have some staff officers there, so as to have a full understanding of the matter. Had you not better direct him to send them? He may think that I am going outside of my duties in going into his department and receiving the surrender of Thompson. Our arrangements are all made here on the 20th. If his staff officers will report at Memphis we will call there for them.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

General Reynolds sent two staff officers, who joined mine at Devall's Bluff on their way to Jacksonport from Wittsburg. The paroles, rolls of prisoners, &c., were boxed up and forwarded by express to Washington, D. C., addressed to Brigadier-General Townsend, Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army. I inclose herewith paroles of a portion of General Thompson's command taken by Colonel Morrill's direction in Missouri, marked E. ++ In addition to these, large numbers of Kirby Smith's men scattered through this State have been paroled at different points, and have universally taken the oath of allegiance. All the bands of bushwhackers in the State have surrendered at the different posts of Lexington, Cassville, Fort Scott, Bloomfield, &c., so that I can now report that peace and quite reigns in Missouri. Lieutenant-Colonel

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*See p. 230.

+See p. 237.

++Omitted.

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