my personal knowledge of the man Thompson, whom you have employed as detective, I would have no confidence whatever in his statements or acts as a detective. He is regarded by good citizens in the vicinity where he resides as belonging to an organization of cattle thieves, and is now under bonds to appear before the civil authorities for trial in a criminal prosecution. He has probably sought the position of detective to enable him and his associates to cover up their illegal transactions. I am informed by Mr. Humphrey that a man known as Judge Robbins has organized a party of over 100 men, well armed, who have gone south toward the Arkansas River. Many of these men are refugees from Texas, or at least claiming too be such (the loyalty of many of them is doubted). Others are from Leavenworth and other parts of Kansas. Another party of twenty-five passed through Emporia a few days since, all armed. They claimed too be a party of scouts sent by Colonel Ford, commanding District of Upper Arkansas, toward the Texas border. I have every reason to believe that they are a party of thieves. I sent to Fort Riley too know if Colonel Ford has sent out such a party. There is every indication that extensive preparations are being perfected in Southwest Kansas for driving stock out of the Indian country this spring that requires prompt action to suppress.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. G. BLUNT,

Major-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

TOPEKA, KANS., January 16, 1865.

His Excellency S. J. CRAWFORD,

Governor of the State of Kansas:

We, the undersigned senators and representatives of Southwestern Kansas, desire to draw the attention of Your Excellency to the deplorable state of affairs now existing on our southwestern border, to the end that measures may speedily be taken to insure the safety of the inhabitants and prevent the abandonment of that important part of our State. We will briefly state the facts in the case. For a year past parties of armed men from various parts of the State have been engaged in plundering the Indian country south of Kansas, and driving thence herds of cattle and horses to which they have no title or right, and, as they state, killing all who oppose them in their work of plunder. Emboldened by the impunity with which they have carried oh their unlawful business, they do not hesitate to appropriate the property of honest settlers or of loyal Indians whenever it is necessary for the furtherance of their schemes.

Your petitioners are informed that in retaliation for the loss of their property the Indians and whites living in the Indian country southwest of the settlements in Kansas are now organizing for the purpose of indiscriminate plunder of the inhabitants of butler, Greenwood, and adjoining counties.

Your petitioners would further state that these raids from the south have already commenced, and that four persons have been killed and a large number of horses and other property taken south.

We would further state that a large proportion of the men in our several counties are now in the service of the United States, leaving their families without protection and at the mercy of any invading force.

And we desire further to direct the attention of Your Excellency to the fact that our counties on the west border on the country of those