men, but who are extremely loath to confront men determined to fight. Kentucky, Ohio, and other Western States were not settled under the protection of soldiers, but rather by men who depended upon their own strong arm and unerring rifles. The Government does not undertake to furnish a guard of armed men for every house and farm on the frontier, and I can state, without any violation of official confidence, that it is chiefly owing to my earnest request to my superiors in command that I have been permitted to employ so many troops for the local defenses of the State and to guard the main avenues of approach. Let the settlers organize in small bodies, prompt to succor each other when cause for alarm exists, and I will promise on my part, as commander of the district, that there shall be no remissness or relaxation of effort on the part of the military to secure them against attack. Myself a citizen of the State, and identified with its interests, I can give no better assurance than is presented by that fact of my intention and desire to protect every man, woman, and child in the State against the attacks of the merciless savages. And I will state in reply to the charge of leniency toward these wretches that if my influence or appeals could have been of any avail, all of the fiends concerned in the outbreak of 1862 or in like outrages since that period, who have fallen into my hands, would long since have been swinging in the wind at the end of a stout rope. I have no reason to believe that there will be any attempt by any considerable body of warriors to penetrate to the settlements, but even if such should be made I have no fears of their meeting with success in any such enterprise.

Yours, very respectfully,

H. H. SIBLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., May 5, 1865.

Bvt. Major General A. SULLY,

Commanding District of Iowa:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that all the supplies designed for the post to be established by you on Powder River have gone forward to Fort Laramie, from which post you can also draw supplies for your command.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. MCC. BELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
Washington, May 6, 1865. (Received 13th.)

Major-General CANBY,

New Orleans:

The chief engineer deems it indispensable that Captain McFarland should return to Key West to take charge of the operations there. If he can be spared, please direct him to do so.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

JOHN A. RAWLINS,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.