because I supposed I could make these matters clearer than you have made them in your statement, but Mr. Harlan and myself are from the same State, are personally acquainted, and a private letter from me will probably engage and direct his attention as soon as anything. Inclosed you will also find my answers to certain questions, in writing, propounded by Judge Woolson, special commissioner, &c. I found some difficulty in answering that portion of the second question touching the sum necessary to be appropriated for the year ending July 1, 1866, as I never heard your views upon the subject. I hope, however, that my answer, as far as it goes, will be satisfactory to you.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. M. CROCKER,

Brigadier-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Summer, N. Mex., January 16, 1865.

Honorable James HARLAN:

DEAR SIR: This will be handed to you by the Honorable T. W. Woolson. Inclosed please find an address* to the people of New Mexico, written by Brigadier General James H. Carleton, commanding the department. Judge Woolson will have it in his power to explain to you sufficient of the facts to enable you to from a just opinion of the matters in controversy. The judge will also explain to you the nature of my duties at this post. Of course I have not been sufficiently acquainted with the history of the Indian difficulties in this country to entitle my opinion to any very great consideration. I only desire to say that in this Territory form more than 100 years life and property have been unsafe on account of the depredations of hostile Indians, and that of all the hostile tribes the Navajoes have been considered the most formidable. That since the commencement of the present war persons have been killed by these Indians within a few miles of Santa Fe. And that prior to the administration of General Carleton as commander of the department, no person could travel through the country in any direction without a military escort. A continual war was waged against the Indians, particularly against the Navajoes. Expedition after expedition was sent against them at an immense expense, all of them ending in producing no good results, for treaty after was broken by the Indians as soon as made. The character of their country is such that they could after their forays withdraw to their mountain fastnesses and defy successful pursuit. From their strongholds they preyed with impunity upon the citizens, so that life and property were alike unsafe. General Carleton had served in this country before he was assigned to the command of the department, and was well acquainted with the history of this warfare against these Indians, and with their entire faithlessness in observing treaties, so that when he commenced his campaigning against them he gave them notice that he would make no treaty with them, and conceived the, in my opinion, wise plan of removing these Indians from their strongholds and placing them upon a reservation so situated that he could effectually control them with the military force at his command. Accordingly, he gave the Navajoes to understand that those of them who desired peace might come in and be sent by him to this reservation, and that the war that he intended to wage against those who did not come in would be war of extermina-

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*Not found as an inclosure.

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