upon the property of citizens. All such offenders must be brought to punishment. Officers in command of detachments who clearly neglect their duty in such cases must, upon investigation, be reported to these headquarters, and they will be recommended for summary dismissal from the service. The general has great confidence in your efficiency as a commander, and hopes you may be able, with the assistance of your subordinates, not only to afford security to the people and property along the border, but to suppress all disorders among your troops. With these modifications, rendered necessary by the change in the organization of your command and the necessities of the service, your duties will remain mainly as before.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN GRAY,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTH KANSAS, Paola, April 1, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel GEORGE H. HOYT,
Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, Olathe, Kans.:

COLONEL: Your report in regard to the failure of Company M, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, to move yesterday, shows a very unsatisfactory state of affairs, which I most earnestly call upon commanding officers to arrest. The company should have marched, and if necessary their stores should have followed them. As it was, arrangements were made for their subsistence either at Rockville or at Mound City. The lieutenant was absent without authority, and it appears that this practice of officers running around loose has prevailed to an alarming extent in this district, and will require great vigilance on the part of commanding officers to correct.

The negligence of Major Haas' orderly cannot be received as a sufficient excuse. Officers in such cases must be held personally responsible. It should be understood that when troops are ordered to move they must go. If the senior commanding officer is absent from any cause the next in rank must execute the order. I regret to find that this is the same company that delayed several days under a former order to move from Lawrence to Camp Coleman. You will please examine into this matter and cause charges to be preferred against all officers implicated in the non-compliance with the orders. You may also report at the same time any mitigating circumstances that may tend to excuse the neglect, as also anything touching former good conduct and the general efficiency of the officers concerned.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. J. McKEAN,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding District.

WASHINGTON, D. C., April 1, 1864.

Major J. C. McFERRAN, Denver, Colo.:

Quartermaster and commissary generals have been directed to forward supplies as rapidly as possible.*

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General, Chief of Staff.

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*In answer to McFerran of March 27. See Part II, p. 755.

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