FORT WASHITA, C. N., May 10, 1865.

Captain T. M. SCOTT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Indian Territory:

CAPTAIN: I return You various papers. Inasmuch as the day set for assembling the Choctaw Brigade is later than I had expected, I will await the arrival of Bryan's and Piercey's battalions at this place, so as to get them off under proper orders. Bryan should give up the guns and the horse-thieves if in his battalion. I find it takes on an average from six to seven days to hear from Doaksville; this day is the first I have received anything from You. You will remember I left on the 1st instant. We must have better mail arrangements or none at all and trust to special expresses. The news of Federals out west turns out to be all bosh. What does all this Federal news about Sherman and Johnston mean? A friend writes me that up to 1st of May no official or even Southern accounts of Lee's surrender had reached Shreveport. It is very strange the country should be flooded with alarming reports relative to our army east. I shall advise all commissioners and delegates to Council Grove and the people generally to go ahead just the same as if no bad news had reached us. Please keep everything rocking along just as usual, especially in the quartermaster and commissary departments. The people and soldiers must be fed, come what may. The Indians are not scared yet.

Yours, truly,

D. H. COOPER,

Brigadier-General.

[MAY 10, 1865. -For Thompson to Davis, in regard to surrender of Confederate forces, see Part I, p. 232.]

Abstract from field return of the defenses of Galveston, Colonel Ashbel Smith commanding, for May 10, 1865.

Present for duty.

Command. Officers Men Aggregat

e

present

Colonel commanding and staff 10 --- 10

2nd Texas Volunteer Infantry 24 346 474

8th Texas Volunteer Infantry 9 159 181

21st Texas Volunteer Infantry 23 438 534

35th Texas Dismounted Cavalry 15 165 232

Timmons' regiment infantry 23 285 365

Mann's regiment cavalry 26 379 475

Pyron's regiment cavalry (a) --- --- ---

Cook's heavy artillery 16 190 306

Dege's light artillery 5 84 130

Batteries Rodgers and Magruder 7 149 223

Battery Green 5 99 129

Battery Jackson 4 120 134

Battery Sherman 3 55 63

Battery Scurry 3 39 66

Total 173 2,508 3,322

(a) Not received.

82 R R-VOL XLVIII, PT II