Your district, arising from the belief that as the war is ended they are entitled to discharge from the service, that they are not efficient, and will be less so every day. Make Your selection of regiments, however, as best suits You, being careful only to select those having until next spring or summer to serve. As soon as You have posted Your troops, relieve and send to Fort Leavenworth all others without delay. I leave You, general, to carry out these instructions, having full confidence that You will do so vigorously and promptly.

I am, general, respectfully, Your obedient servant,

JOHN POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

JULESBURG, August 24, 1865.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Saint Louis:

In appointment of commissioners to meet Southern Indians I think General Sanborn should be one of them. It is uncertain whether I shall reach there in time. If I should not he knows our views of Indian matters and will do what he can to carry them out. I hope Government will instruct the commissioners to insist upon their keeping at least fifty miles south of Arkansas route and east of Fort Bascom, thus giving us the Overland Route up the Arkansas, Smoky Hill, and Platte unmolested; also that hereafter all Indian agents, traders, &c., shall be under the supervision of the officer commanding in the country that they occupy. I have seen things on this trip that convince me that unless the officer commanding in the Indian country can have supervision in protecting them from the agents and traders we cannot make a peace that will last very long. Also that they give up all stolen property. Butterfield has opened the Smoky Hill route. If he sustains the line it will go a great ways to hold open a country heretofore occupied by hostile Indians, and which I have occupied this summer.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

[AUGUST 24, 1865. -For Dodge to Tichenor, relative to peace negotiations with the Indians, see Part I, p. 363.]

FORT LEAVENWORTH, August 24, 1865.

Major-General DODGE,

Julesburg, Colo. Ter.:

General Elliott has arrived. He relieves Mitchell and Sanborn, both district being merged. He is given one battalion of the Thirteenth Regulars, one regiment of infantry, and one of cavalry for all purpose in the district. All other troops are ordered by General Pope to be mustered out. I learn that General Upton is assigned to command Colorado, and that General Wheaton goes to Fort Laramie. I suppose that all troops on the plains, except sufficient to garrison posts, are to be mustered out. These district commanders are assigned by General Pope and given written instructions by him relative to their duties and the number of troops to be retained in their respective district, no copies or notification being given us.

GEO. C. TICHENOR,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.