committed between South Pass and this place. Have positive information that a large village of Cheyennes are on Wind River and Big Horn, and operating on this line from there. Have concentrated my available force with eight days' rations in saddle-bags and two on pack-mules. Will strike that village by rapid night marches and while this moon lasts. Will try and cut through on return by Rocky Ridge, picking up stragglers and thieves.

T. MOONLIGHT.

GEO. F. PRICE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
Santa Fe, N. Mex., May 9, 1865.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL, U. S. ARMY,

Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose, marked I, II, III, a communication, with inclosures, from Captain David H. Brotherton, Fifth U. S. Infantry, commanding at Franklin, in Texas, and also to inclose for your information my reply to Captain Brotherton. This is marked IV. It is with reluctance that I call your attention so many times to the exposed condition of this department. The Indian hostilities upon the plains and in other portions of this widely extended Territory require more troops than are here properly and speedily to bring them to a successful and permanent issue. If, superadded to these troubles, the Territory is to be menaced by large bands of lawless ruffians, who will flee from the great theater of the war to portions of the country so sparsely settled as to offer but a feeble resistance to their efforts at robbery and bloodshed, you will admit that such portions, and New Mexico is one of them, should have timely and efficient succor and protection. This subject demands your serious attention now. The season will soon be too late for troops to cross the plains and arrive in this country without their animals breaking down. Subsistence stores and other supplies for at least 2,500 more troops will be in depot when our estimates are met, so that no more such stores need be sent this year, even though the force should be increased to that limited and reasonable extent. Two regiments of infantry and one of cavalry should, in my humble judgment, be ordered at once into New Mexico to meet the pressing demands of the service, and to occupy proper points along the frontiers of Texas and Mexico, which adjoin this department.

I am, general, very respectfully,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure I.]

HEADQUARTERS,
Franklin, Tex., May 3, 1865.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, DEPT. OF NEW MEXICO,

Santa Fe, N. Mex.:

SIR: I have the honor to forward herewith a statement made to me by a Texan refugee this afternoon. His party, consisting of nineteen men, came from Johnson County, Tex. ; struck the Pecos about forty miles below the mouth of Delaware Creek; from thence in by the South Pass, Guadalupe Mountains, Huecca Tanks, &c. (Pope's route). The statement that he has made I think had some foundation. I shall disarm all small parties coming in, and will endeavor to keep informed