[Indorsement. *]

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, January 28, 1865.

Respectfully forwarded.

I apprehend great difficulty in supplying Fort Smith from Little Rock during the winter. Besides the official reports I have a personal knowledge of the character of the roads on both banks of the River, both in summer and in winter. Ten years ago I made, under the orders of the Secretary of War, an examination into the value of the Arkansas and Red Rivers as a means of supplying the posts on the southwestern and Texas frontiers. Neither of them can be relied on. I have known the Arkansas for two consecutive seasons to be of no value except as a draining ditch. The land route from Fort Leavenworth is still more difficult than that from Little Rock. The garrison of Fort Smith will be reduced as far as it can be with safety.

By command of Major General J. J. Reynolds:

JOHN LEVERING,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

LEWISBURG, January 14, 1865-5. 50 p. m.

Major-General REYNOLDS, Little Rock:

The fleet passed Dardanelle safely at 10 a. m. Major Jenks is at Dardanelle. The rebels remained near Rocky Crossing. At 3 p. m. cannonading was heard in direction left of Dardanelle.

A. H. RYAN,

Colonel.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS INDIAN BRIGADE,

Numbers 4.
Fort Gibson, C. N., January 14, 1865.

The colonel commanding having been directed to take such steps and make such regulations as will proceed the just rights of the Indian people, it is hereby ordered:

I. That all parties having any lawful right to be in or purchase stock in the Indian Nation shall report to headquarters at Fort Gibson as a

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*On Canby's copy.

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