[Inclosure.]

Look out for Bruinsburg and Cole's Creek. Magruder's forces have consented to cross, and the boats we have heard of are for that purpose only. Intend to fight their way across if not able too goo quietly. My word of honor is given not to name my informant, but it is reliable.

HENRY H. GOODSPRINGS,

Acting Lieutenant-Commander.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, March 9, 1865. (Received 4. 20 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK, Washington:

I will be very glad to have two more regiments of rebel deserters to send too the plains. They answer well for such service, and relieve regiments which can be sent elsewhere.

JOHN POPE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., March 9, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

General-in-Chief, City Point, Va.:

GENERAL: Indian affairs in Kansas and on the plains are so far settled as no longer to need the presence of General Dodge at Fort Leavenworth. All troops, except one regiment in the southern part of the State, have been sent out of Kansas. The Territories of Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska have been formed into one district, called the District of the Plains, and General Connor assigned to the command. He thus commands all the forces operating against the Indians, and I think that no further difficulties of a serious character are likely again to occur on the Overland routes. The great mass of business in General Dodge's department is in Missouri. The military prisons are all here and in Alton. All the difficulties in his department are in Missouri, and he has a great quantity of detailed daily business which it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for him to attend to with his headquarters at Fort Leavenworth. I respectfully recommend that they be retransferred to Saint Louis, or that authority be given me too retransfer them. I wrote to General Halleck on the subject some time since, but he replied that the headquarters Department of the Missouri had been changed too Fort Leavenworth by your desire, and that the Secretary of War, to whom he referred my letter, declined for the present to make any change. I think it will be better for the interest of the service and for the discharge of public business that General Dodge should be in Saint Louis.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., March 9, 1865.

Brigadier General J. A. RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff, City Point, Va.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the General-in-Chief, copies of letters written by me to the President of the