ability and, I presume, the purpose of the United States Government to maintain its authority and enforce its laws in all places of its dominion, and therefore must admit the folly and crime of longer resisting its authority and laws. The main resistance to its authority in this vicinity now is south of your post, along the White River Valley and its tributaries. This resistance does not bear upon or in any way affect the United States Government, but directly and solely upon the non-combatants, women, children, and families of the section, reducing them to the most abject poverty and wretchedness. To terminate this state of misery and poverty I have deemed it advisable for you to hold a conference with the captains and leaders of companies and partisan bands in that section, with the view of inducing them to surrender to the Government, again becoming its valuable and cherished citizens. All who will surrender and take the oath of amnesty will be allowed to retain their own private arms and such public arms as may be in their possession, an invoice, however, to be made of the same and forwarded to the adjutant-General of the State of Arkansas; all private property to be retained by the parties who thus surrender, an private property to be protected in Northern Arkansas. The parties who thus surrender are to stipulate to use every effort to drive all lawless persons, marauders, and rebels from the country. As soon as the part is now operating in your front thus surrender, all goods and merchandise will be allowed to go into that portion of Arkansas free of any tax, the same as before the war. Stores may be established at Forsyth or at any other points desired. You may inform all parties that the Government will under no circumstances allow Northern Arkansas to be made a base for guerrillas or other marauding operations into Missouri, if to prevent it all property has to be destroyed and the land desolated, although its choice is to make all its subjects rich and happy instead of poor and miserable. The bands in Northern Arkansas have nearly all surrendered, and if those operating in the White River Valley will do the same peace, plenty, and quiet will again reign there and the people soon be restored to their former wealth and happiness.

Wishing you success in carrying out these instructions, I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

P. S. -A roll of all who surrender will be at once made out by you, and they will report to take the oath as soon as they can do so.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

CASSVILLE, May 4, 1865.

Brigadier-General SANBORN:

There are some rebels still staying on White River. Some are deserters from the Federal Army; some have recently come from Price's army. They fired on the mail party last night five miles south of this place. We have no horses to spare from other duty to scout after them. General, can some of my men furnish their own horses to scout and draw their forage? We do not care anything about pay for use of horses.

WM. RAY,

Captain.