HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF COLORADO,
Denver, August 21, 1864-3 a. m.

Major W. F. WILDER,

Third Regiment Colorado Cavalry:

MAJOR: The colonel commanding directs that you forthwith arm and equip Companies A and B of your regiment, and put them in complete readiness for the field. You will make requisitions on quartermaster's, ordnance, and commissary departments for what may be necessary for the above purpose. Also notify Captain Nichols, at Boulder, to fill up his company at once and arm them, and have him hold himself in readiness for marching orders. Also to notify recruiting officers for the Third Regiment Colorado Cavalry that they must arm and drill, holding themselves subject to call at short notice. A statement of the number of men now recruited, with their present localities, is desired.

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

JNO. C. ANDERSON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Copies of the above furnished to non-commissioned officer commanding detachment Colorado City; Captain Gill, Colorado militia, en route to Colorado; Captain Isaac Gray, commanding Camp Fillmore.)

CAMP ON THE ARKANSAS, August 21, 1864.

Colonel J. M. CHIVINGTON,

Commanding District of Colorado:

SIR: I have moved my camp up the river near Colonel Boone's ranch. My object in doing this is several reasons: First, is the very unhealthy location of the bottom contiguous to old Camp Fillmore, which consists of nothing at present but tall weeds, stagnant water, and mosquitoes. I camped just as near the original camp as I could find a suitable place. The grass, one of the most desirable things in a cavalry camp in country, is also of a very inferior kind, being tall and rank, such as horses do not like, and another thing they have up this way large fields of corn, being unprotected by fences or anything of that kind. I concluded to move up this side of that bottom altogether. There is another thing that I wish to call your attention to-the fact that the ranchmen were extremely glad to have soldiers come and protect their property and lives, but still at same time charge 75 cents per dozen for roasting ears, a bit a pound for pumpkins and squashes, and such corresponding prices for everything they have to sell. Wishing to use every endeavor to not only protect their crops from hostile Indians, but also soldiers from pilfering the same (you will find inclosed an order that I have issued), I keep a scout or scouts out the whole time. I have seen or heard of nothing in this immediate neighborhood of Indians or bushwhackers, but I find that they are all around this place committing their depredations. Another thing that I would most respectfully call your attention to: that is, in view that the prospect is not very fair for putting up hay below this place on account of the scarcity of labor, difficulties, &c., I would state that a few hundred tons of hay can be contracted for or purchased here at this point cheaper than any previous contract or at other point on the river. I believe that this would be the best point for stationing troops between here