well-organized company, to be stationed at some prominent point in said locality, they will be forced to move to the interior for protection. This company should in my opinion be composed of men acquainted with all the water holes and whose interests are identified with that portion of the frontier.

And as Captain Lawhorn's company is composed chiefly of the bona-fide citizens of this frontier, I would move that they be assigned to that duty in preference to any other company, believing, as I do, that they would give universal satisfaction.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. T. EDGAR,

Captain Company F, Frontier Regiment.

SAN ANTONIO, May 11, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel A. G. DICKINSON:

SIR: I address you upon a subject of vital interest to our whole western frontier, stretching from the Colorado River to the Rio Grande. The withdrawal of the Frontier Regiment, and especially of the troops stationed at Camp Verde, has left the inhabitants wholly defenseless, being exposed not only to Indian depredations, which are now of frequent occurrence, but to the still more dangerous and destructive depredations of deserters, jayhawkers, and robbers, who already infest the whole country from the Colorado to the Rio Grande. Without some force to protect this frontier I have no doubt the whole country west of San Antonio will be deserted by every loyal citizen, and the beeves and horses in this region will be driven to Mexico, seized and carried off by the Indians, or destroyed. I live 4 miles beyond Bandera and 8 miles from Camp Verde, and I have no hesitancy in saying that if there be not at least one company of troops kept stationed at Camp Verde, or in that neighborhood, not only I but every loyal citizen in that part of the country will be sacrificed or compelled to abandon the country and fall back to San Antonio in less than sixty days. Already robberies and murders are of frequent occurrence.

On Monday night last Captain William Wallace, an old Texan and one of our best and most skillful Indian fighters, was killed not more than 20 miles west of San Antonio, and very far within the lines of the frontier.

This was by Indians, who at the same time stole most if not all of his horses. It was only a week previous to this a party of Indians made their appearance on the Hondo, 30 miles west of San Antonio, and killed one man and scattered and drove off a large number of horses. But these occurrences have become so frequent that it would require too much space to mention all. Another danger equally as great, if not greater, threatens us on this frontier in our present defenseless condition, and it is from the vengeance threatened to every loyal citizen by the friends of the disaffected who have been forced to leave the country to avoid military service; nothing but the presence of an armed military can restrain this class of persons, and especially if their renegade friends and relations should return, as they would be sure to do if the military force be wholly withdrawn from this frontier. I address you, colonel, hoping you may use your influence at headquarters to secure us in our need some protection,