HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., January 27, 1864.

Colonel JOHN EDWARDS,

Fort Smith, Ark.:

The military post of Fort Smith is in the Department of Kansas. We can do nothing here except in case of great emergency.

O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., January 27, 1864.

Captain CAMERON,

Commanding at Cassville, Mo.:

Your commissary train should be in to-day with 12,000 rations. The troops sent from here have all six days' rations. I think if the troops remain in that vicinity to operate, I will send down a commissary train. Have you any word from Berryville since the 25th" If so, have the enemy remained stationary or advanced or retreated?

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, January 27, 1864.

Colonel WOODSON,

Provost-Marshal, Saint Joseph, Mo.:

COLONEL: Yours of the 25th instant is duly receive. If there is any utility in the publicity of my letter of the 23rd,* I see no objections to its going to the public. I have no concealed opinions as to the matter I wrote and will write on the subject of border difficulties. You know the public of all shades and sides, and have a good opportunity to know if any latent treason lurks on your side. I hope you will make that matter a study. You see the people on the border fear the returning rebels, and after so many have broken their parole they have reason to be apprehensive. In the mean time it is our duty to suppress every tumult promptly and if possible keep down strife. By so doing we can make safe and encourage the truly loyal, peaceable people to plow, sow, and reap. Even rebels must see that the rebellion has no possible change to recover Missouri, and they have therefore nothing to gain by keeping up a fight here on this frontier. A few thieves and scoundrels might profit by it, as no doubt they have done, but honest men are sure to be the losers. Arguments, however, have very little influence on such rogues; they will only understand force, fear, and forfeiture, which are the real weapons of war, and in such times the only security for life and property.

Major Hunt has brought down 3 or 4 prisoners, including the landlord Sela, of whom your witness testified. They are in tribulation, and I have no doubt the people of Elwood will feel alarmed and restrained in their toleration of rogues. It is a short of suburb to your

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

*See Curtis to Woodson, January 23, p. 139.

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