but must be approved at these headquarters. Company B, of Your regiment, organized from the Fifth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, has been ordered to join You, and I suppose has left. Leaves of absence may be granted when two officers or some one remains with the company. I usually approve applications under such circumstances. I desire to drop these Indian scouts at the earliest time practicable, but until we get different reports from the north You will keep them on the alert well up toward the Smoky Hill, watching closely for any movements of hostile Indians. General Elliott, who is now commanding the Districts of Kansas and the Upper Arkansas, will be here to-morrow night and is going through to Fort Lyon; and, if You desire to go up, it would no doubt be pleasant for him and for You to go together. I shall be glad to have You accompany him if You desire. General Dodge will probably be there to come back with You. While we are escorting so much on that road, Your disposition of troops is all right; but I expect the command will be reduced before many weeks so much that no more than one regiment of cavalry will be allowed to that Arkansas line, as I wrote You the other day. But it is all right until the charge is made. Have all possible precautions taken for the preservation of the Government stores until we can get some lumber there. General Elliott will probably be at Larned by next Sunday.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, Your obedient servant,

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.

[AUGUST 29, 1865. -For Dodge to Pope, relative to the reduction of troops on the plains, see Part I, p. 355.]

[AUGUST 29, 1865. -For Dodge to Pope, relative to affairs in Utah, see Part I, p. 356.]

FORT LARAMIE, August 29, 1865.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

Following dispatch from Salt Lake forwarded:

SALT LAKE, August 25, 1865.

The Salt Lake Telegraph comes out this morning defying Government. Says polygamy must live and die with Mormonism, and if interfered with will be washed out with blood.

MILO GEORGE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Fort Laramie, Dak. Ter., August 31, 1865.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

I consider the Indian matters here of so much importance, and knowing no one can judge of them so well as when he is on the ground, that I desire to make one proposition to the Government. If the