and Fort Lyon-good water, dry and healthy, near the Indian reserve, or as near as can be got practicable. The inhabitants below here complain of my moving away from below, but fact is they are not quite so near a good market for selling corn for 75 cents a dozen. No one with any military sense will contend that I can not render as much assistance, and better protect myself here than in that forest of weeds and pandemonium of mosquitoes; and another thing will have to be looked at, they expect that every time they get frightened to have a squad of soldiers placed in every one of their door yards. I have, although, got along very well. The soldiers have taken nothing but they have paid for, and I am going to use diligence to see that they do not.

Sir, I am, your obedient servant,

ISAAC GRAY,

Captain, Commanding Company E, First Company of Colorado.

HEADQUARTERS BRACKETT'S MINNESOTA BATTALION,
Fort Union, Dak. Ter., August 21, 1864.

Brigadier-General SIBLEY, Commanding District of Minnesota:

GENERAL: After passing through the Indian campaign with General Sully's expedition my battalion is now under orders to march to Sioux City, Iowa, with the same command, from which place the general says he will telegraph to General Pope for orders for me. The officers and men of my command have a great desire to send the winter in Minnesota if the exigencies of the service will permit. I shall be in Sioux City by the 5th of October and can cross to Minnesota in ten days. General Sully has expressed his willingness for me to go to Minnesota if needed there. I would therefore most respectfully ask that orders for my return may be sent to Sioux City to await our arrival.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. B. BRACKETT,

Major, Commanding Battalion.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., August 22, 1864.*

(Received 9 a. m. September 1.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff, Washington, D. C.:

You dispatch is received. Kirby Smith is concentrating his troops evidently for the purpose of forcing the passage of the Mississippi or to attack Steele. I have only a reserve of 12,000 men in addition to 5,000 at Mobile. In either case all of the reserve will be needed on the Mississippi or in Arkansas. I had counted upon the force at Memphis to aid Steele if necessary, and hoped to have accomplished all that Sherman now suggests. The consultation with Admiral Farragut, reported in my dispatch of the 17th, was in consequence of being advised by General Washburn that Sherman had ordered A. J. Smith to join him. It is not to be expected that Kirby Smith's army, now re-organized and considerably strengthened, will remain comparatively idle much longer. If any troops can be sent to Memphis to be in position to re-enforce the line of the Arkansas I can use the greater part or whole of Reynold's force against Mobile.

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

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*Erroneously printed in Vol. XXXIX, Part II, p. 298, as of August 24.

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