officer, to Collierville as soon as possible. They will take the cars near your headquarters. The command will be supplied with 100 rounds of ammunition per man.

By order of Brigadier-General Dennis:

RICHARD A. KENT,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, December 26, 1864.

Major-General DODGE,

Commanding Department of the Missouri:

GENERAL: Your attention is called to the inclosed indorsement* by General Sanborn, proposing to carry on investigation in Missouri to ascertain damages committed by troops commanded by Colonel Jennison, who returned from the pursuit of Price by the road upon which they pursued the foe. While it is my desire to properly determine and punish all acts of marauding and mischief against loyal, peaceable citizens, I do not wish to see an illegal or ex parte commission authorized to sit in judgment against any, especially those who have inflicted severe blows against secret, subtle foes. Colonel Jennison was arrested before the report of General Sanborn came to my notice, and he can properly tried before a court-martial if General sanborn or instituted ex parte to induce proof of losses, is sure to invite the malice of traitors and the cupidity of knaves to become the swift witnesses against those who are absent and liable, as they are led to suppose, to indemnify them for the havoc of war. On a former occasion I had occasion to call the attention of General Ewing to a commission of this sort, started in Missouri to collect such testimony against the gallant troops of Kansas, who had aided in driving Shelby out of Missouri. It is time the opportunity of laggards, cowards, and rebels to crystallize slander against Federal soldiers should cease. There are but two courts known to military law authorized to act against officers, each of which is organized so as to protect officers against secret foes that always look behind and play the assassin. Unfortunately, irregular and illegal commissions have been invited, partly through ignorance, but often through motives of envy and malice, which commissions have collected and given legal showing of proof to the basest fabrications of rebels and sympathizers, to the prejudice of our gallant troops, the expense of our own Government, and the malicious delight of the craven cowards that belong to the rebel army of the rear.

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

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Numbers 234.
Saint Louis, Mo., December 26, 1864.

The northern boundary of the District of Southwest Missouri will hereafter be the Osage River.

By command of Major-General Dodge:

J. W. BARNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

---------------

* See first indorsement, p. 892.

---------------