and fall, I have felt it to be necessary to establish a camp at or near Cold Spring, which locality is about midway between Fort Union, N. Mex., and the Arkansas River. The command of this camp has been given to Colonel Christopher Carson, who, from his knowledge of the Indians of the plains, and his personal acquaintance with some of their principal men, will, I trust, lead to beneficial results. Inclosed herewith please find his orders and instructions. *

I am, general, respectfully,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
Santa Fe, N. Mex., May 11, 1865.

COMMANDING OFFICER AT FORT SUMNER, N. MEX.:

SIR: We have some intelligence that a band of marauders and bushwhackers has been forming at and near Fort Belknap, Tex., with the avowed purpose of making a raid into this Territory. You will without delay place the troops of your command in a condition to take the field at a day's notice, should it become necessary, in order to repel this band. Have your men prepared at all points to march and to fight.

I am, sir, respectfully,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

NOTE. -Keep a party of observation well down the river with a party of ten Mescalero Apaches thrown out in different directions still farther down to give notice. If this party comes it has got to be fought from the jump, and every man and every Indian at Fort Summer must do his utmost to destroy it. Should your post fall and the provisions be destroyed, or your stock run off, the Indians will perish. This thought alone will make them and make all fight like devils against these worse than devils. Keep me advised by express of any intelligence that may be received of the advance of these desperadoes. Inclosed herewith please find a copy of a statement made by a Texan refugee in relation to them. + They may strike across the trail known to your guides, which trail comes in near Fort Summer from over the Staked Plain, and they may come up the Pecos and aim to destroy your magazines at Sumner and the depot at Fort Union. Be on the alert, but let there be no stampede even if they come; for we have got to make their utter destruction a quiet business until it is accomplished.

J. H. C.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, May 11, 1865.

Captain JOSEPH McC. BELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Saint Louis, Mo.:

CAPTAIN: Before leaving Milwaukee I had the honor to write you, for the information of the commander of the division, that I designed to make some personal inquiry in relation to actual and threatened

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* See Carleton to Carson, May 4, p. 317.

+ See inclosure, Carleton to Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, May 9, p. 375.

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