HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, September 25, 1864.

Major General GEORGE SYKES:

GENERAL: Yesterday General Rosecrans sent me dispatches expressing confident belief that only a small force can be on this side of the Arkansas now. To-day he thinks Price with a large force is in Missouri and Shelby in advance at Farmington, about sixty miles below Pilot Knob. These indications seem to imply a movement on Missouri east of West Plains, very remote from Kansas, but other reports all go to show that a considerable force is, or has been on the extended [line] between Missouri and Kansas, and therefore it is best for us to be prepared for the worst. I have cented [sic] myself with the order of the Governor to have militia in readiness for a move, and the latest from below Fort Scott seems to develop no approaching enemy. Carthage, Mo., it is said, was burned, but Rosecrans says he is in communication with Cassville and has no tidings. They also seem to have no news concerning the taking of the train at Cabin Creek, except what they get through our scouts, all which proves, as I fear, they are not as well informed of danger in front as we are. I have advocated the route through Kansas as the cheapest and the safest way to supply the posts of Forts Smith and Gibson and posts above, but since that country was severed from my command I could not be expected to escort trains through it, because I could not know the dangers from foes or the support friendly forces could give when I did not control them. Still, local efforts to carry on a big trade through the country are difficult to restrain, and I have had repeated occasion to tell my officers at Fort Scott, as you will have to do, that we have few or no troops to spare, and we cannot attend to the supplies of our comrades beyond our lines. I was, therefore, astonished, in the face of facts, to hear from Fort Scott before receiving your letter that Colonel Jennison was ordering troops to escort a train that would start on Tuesday. Very likely a train with a reasonable escort would go through, since the rebels seem to have taken at Cabin Creek more than they could carry away. Yet in the face of that it would only be folly for us to send away another invitation before we know the strength or position of foes that took that large supply. You must control details, for you will constantly find our Kansas officers ready to seize popular, rather than plausible, occasions to propose excursions.

In connection with this the cattle business has been a great bore. Our troops have expressed a great desire to regulate that trade, and when I first came to this command, and the Indian country was part of my department, I directed very summary [measures to be taken] to stop the frauds connected with it, but I soon found that officers and men had their zeal mainly stimulated by their own chances for gain, and I was glad when the Indian country was withdrawn from my department. I made very elaborate presentations to the War and Interior Departments, but received no aid from headquarters in any way, except that the Interior Department has assumed the direction, and Colonel Coffin, the Indian agent, has taken entire control of the matter, given permits to such persons as he considered fair dealers, and in connection with the agents undertakes the care of Indian rights. The sooner the cattle are sold out of the vacated country the better for us, as there are 150 [miles] of territory over which cattle roam, inviting thieves, rebels, and everybody to come and drive them away. When the cattle are all gone rebels cannot subsist between the Kansas and Arkansas Rivers, where they now line on these deserted cattle. Of course every case of