HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, January 31, 1865.

Colonel THOMAS MOONLIGHT,

Commanding District of Colorado, Denver City:

COLONEL: I am in receipt of several letters dated from 7th to 9th January, soon after your arrival, and contents duly noted. The post of Fort Lyon was attached to your command, and you must make the very best distribution and use of force you can till we have more for the locality, which I hope will be early in the spring, but Government cannot promise entire safety to settlements, and the militia should be well organized for self-preservation. I do not doubt the general hostility of the Indian tribes that inhabit the plains. This has been abundantly demonstrated, but they have not exhibited the power of concentration or combination which some had apprehended. General Mitchell has just returned, after a severe campaign south of the Platte, and he thinks most of the Indians have gone north. Still, we know there must be hostile bands between the Arkansas and Platte, that are intent on mischief, which must be looked after. The raising of troops in Colorado is a very expensive business, judging from the cost of the 100-days' regiment, and it seems to me better to recruit for the old regiments than to try to get up new ones. I do not expect to give up the lines of communication. Some interruption may occasionally occur, but there is no need of great alarm on the subject of trains. They should arm and combine and move cautiously. One has recently come from Denver safely to Cottonwood, and others are now starting west. The Indians have grown troublesome because trains have grown too venturesome. In former times emigrants always armed and organized before venturing to cross the plains, and they should do it now. Meantime we must do the very best we can with our Federal troops, and I hope you will keep me fully advised of matters in your command.

I remain, colonel, very respectfully, yours,

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO, Numbers 2.
Santa Fe, N. Mex., January 31, 1865.

On the 22nd day of last October an order was published at these headquarters which organized an armed expedition against the Kiowa and Comanche Indians. Their depredations upon our trains and their murdering of our people on the roads leading to the States during the last year was the reason why this was done. After that order was published and issued and its receipt acknowledged, passports were issued to citizens to go out upon the plains to trade with these very Indians. The traders to whom these passports were given were warned on their arrival at Fort Bascom, N. Mex., by Lieutenant-Colonel Abreu, the commanding officer, of the state of hostility which existed between our troops and the Kiowas and Comanches, and these traders were ordered not to proceed farther toward the Indian country while the present condition of affairs existed. These orders were utterly disregarded. The traders got stealthily past our pickets, and, the Indians themselves say, brought them news of the approaching troops. Also, there cannot be a doubt but that these traders sold the Indians the very powder and lead with which our brave soldiers were killed and wounded. These matters have been so clearly developed as not to leave the shadow of a doubt