HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
Santa Fe, N. Mex., March 16, 1865.

MICHAEL STECK, Esq.,

Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Santa Fe, N. Mex.:

SIR: I have had the honor to receive Your letter of the 15th instant, stating that You have received information that the Apache Indians, known as the Miebres band of that tribe, desire peace, and that You propose to have a talk with them in their own country and desire that I give You an escort as far as Fort West, on the Gila River. In reply I beg to say that I have been duly informed of the disposition of those Indians, and some weeks since gave directions as to the only terms on which peace could be had. I have hitherto considered, and am still of the opinion, that when we are at war with a band of Indians the military department of the Government should and must manage all affairs connected with them until the war is ended, otherwise a superintendent or Indian agent might go and have talks and negotiate with them, when, in the opinion of the military commander, the proper time had come to prosecute hostilities with increased vigor, and thus the two branches of the

Government might act with cross purposes. The Indian to whom You allude have long been at war and are now, it is believed, coming to that point where they wish to surrender. They are still in the hands of the military and will be until the military commander makes peace with them on his own terms. Some of the m have been captured and are kept as prisoners, so that when, in the opinion of the military commander, the proper time comes, if the present efforts to get the Indians fail, they will be sent as runners to tell their head m en to come in for a talk. Should the head men thus come in they will again be informed that the ultimatum is for their people to remove to the reservation at the Bosque Redondo; that they can have peace on no other basis; that we will continue the war until that result is produced or the band is exterminated. To have any person outside the military go and hold talks with them would be productive of no good and might lead to complications which should be avoided. I therefore trust that You will suspend the prosecution of Your contemplated journey with such an end in view. As soon as the se Indians are at peace and are removed to the reservation, and the Department of the Interior stands ready to feed and take care of them in common with the Navajo Indians and the Mescalero Apaches, You will, of course, be notified, when it will afford me pleasure to turn them over to You. But until that time comes the military will claim to manage them to the best of its ability, whether in making war or in making peace.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, Your obedient servant,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier- General, Commanding.

NOTE. - See inclosed indorsement,* Numbers 772, series of 1865, from the se headquarters.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO, Numbers 9.
Santa Fe, N. Mex., March 16, 1865.

I. Company F, First Infantry New Mexico Volunteers, will until further orders remain at Los Pinos, but Lieutenant- Colonel Eaton, First Cavalry New Mexico Volunteers, when he comes from Fort

Wingate to

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*Not found.

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