impossible for me to cross. If I can't succeed in getting a large number in to surrender, I am in a considerable of a quandary what to do. If I cross over with my small command of 800 or 900 men to attack the camp in their strong position and don't succeed in routing them, but have to fall back, my retreat will be construed into a defeat. It will strengthen the war party and weaken the peace party of Indians, and if I leave here without attacking them matters will be nearly as bad. I would not have the least hesitation, with 600 men, to cross the river and march through their country to Rice, for I feel sure I could defend myself, but that is just about as much as I could do. I feel perfect confidence in the superiority of the white man over any other race; and the troops, being better armed and better disciplined, are greatly the superior to the Indian, yet a handful of men can't attack and defend ten times their number, well armed, in a mountain pass. I have read in the papers that General Connor and Brevet Brigadier-General Heath, with bodies of troops, are moving to Powder River, and then after the hostile Indians who have fled for the Platte. I do not know where they intend to go to find these Indians. But this I do know: Very large numbers of the Minneconjou, Sans arc, Ogalalla, and Brule Sioux, also Cheyennes, Arapahoes, and other tribes from the Platte Valley district are in this camp, only sixty miles south of here. I have therefore telegraphed You to know where they are going to. If they are on their way here I am in an excellent position to co-operate with them. I send You these dispatches by an Indian who has to run the gauntlet to get through the hostile country. I will therefore duplicate them by the first boat. I have no heard from department headquarters for a long time.

I am, sir, with much respect, Your obedient servant,

ALF. SULLY,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, La., August 9, 1865. (Received 12. 45 p. m. 10th.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Armies of the United States:

GENERAL: Another band of between 600 and 700 armed Confederate soldiers, under command of Colonel Terry, crossed the Upper Rio Grande a short time ago. They were captured by Cortina and disarmed and their transportation taken. It is called that they were on their way to Sonora, but when disarmed they made their way to Monterey.

Very respectfully, Your obedient servant,

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Numbers 187.
Little Rock, Ark., August 9, 1865.

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3. The Third Iowa Battery will proceed without delay to Fort Smith, Ark., and be reported to the commanding officer of that post for duty.

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By command of Major General J. J. Reynolds:

GUSTAV WAGENFUEHR,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.