Stanton, and for Companies A and K, First Veteran Infantry California Volunteers, to return to Fort Union, unless matters with reference to the Kiowas and Comanches demanded the further stay of these troops at or near Fort Bascom. The cavalry horses of Colonel Carson's expedition must be fed on hay as long as you have a pound at your post, particularly when the ground is covered with snow. Write to me at once and let me know all that has been done, or is doing, with reference to what is written above. I am completely in the dark with reference to your status, or who even is in command, as I cannot tell whether my orders have yet reached you. Report in full about the condition of your stock. I expected to have found Major McCleave here, and to have met Captain Witham en route to Las Cruces.

I am, sir, respectfully,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Abstract from return of the Military Division of West Mississippi, Major General Edward R. S. Canby, U. S. Army, commanding, for the month of December, 1864.

Present for duty.

Command. Officer Men. Aggrega Aggrega

s. te te

present present

. and

absent.

General headquarters. 16 ... 16 16

Reserve Corps (Reynolds):

Staff. 14 ... 14 14

Infantry. 459 9.371 12.001 18.074

Cavalry. 91 2.143 2.767 3.486

Artillery. 38 1.245 1.399 1.642

Total. 602 12.759 16.181 23.216

Department of the Gulf

(Hurlbut):

Staff. 63 ... 63 79

Infantry. 712 18.193 23.739 28.898

Cavalry. 220 5.586 7.474 10.166

Artillery. 134 4.651 5.600 6.911

Total. 1.129 28.430 36.876 46.054

Department of the

Missouri (Dodge):

Staff. 57 ... 57 61

Infantry. 179 4.622 5.891 7.282

Cavalry. 314 8.589 10.790 13.651

Artillery. 16 692 809 913

Total. 566 13.903 17.547 21.907

Department of Arkansas

(Steele):

Staff. 40 ... 40 40

Infantry. 507 13.041 17.538 17.259

Cavalry. 277 7.285 10.785 18.063

Artillery. 31 992 1.140 1.449

Total. 855 21.318 29.503 42.811

Department of Mississippi

(Dana):

Staff. 18 ... 18 18

Infantry. 461 10.830 14.012 16.382

Cavalry. 161 4.274 5.529 7.551

Artillery. 141 5.673 6.819 7.249

Total. 781 20.777 26.375 31.200

Grand total. 3.949 97.187 126.498 165.204

Pieces of artillery.

Command. Heavy. Field. Headquarters.

General ... ... New Orleans, La.

headquarters.

Reserve Corps New Orleans and in

(Reynolds): the field.

Staff. ... ...

Infantry. ... ...

Cavalry. ... ...

Artillery. 8 44

Total. 8 44

Department of the New Orleans, La.

Gulf (Hurlbut):

Staff. ... ...

Infantry. 124 53

Cavalry. ... ...

Artillery. 287 69

Total. 411 122

Department of the Saint Louis, Mo.

Missouri (Dodge):

Staff. ... ...

Infantry. 25 ...

Cavalry. 8 2

Artillery. ... 40

Total. 33 42

Department of Little Rock, Ark.

Arkansas (Steele):

Staff. ... ...

Infantry. 24 3

Cavalry. ... 14

Artillery. ... 63

Total. 24 80

Department of Memphis, Tenn.

Mississippi (Dana):

Staff. ... ...

Infantry. ... 32

Cavalry. ... 8

Artillery. 136 162

Total. 136 202

Grand total. 612 490