ritory west of the latter State should be included in that department, inasmuch as it must be defended by General Steele's army and receive all supplies through Little Rock and Fort Smith. The Secretary of War concurred with me in opinion, but the President, on the urgent solicitations of Senator Lane and others, directed that the Indian Territory and Fort Smith be assigned to General Curtis' command. Generals Blunt, who seems to be a very quarrelsome man, and against whom there are very serious accusations, was sent by General Curtis to command that district. Since then there has been much difficulty way of avoiding these evils but to attack Fort Smith and the Indian Territory to the Department of Arkansas and send General Blunt back to Kansas to report to General Curtis. If you concur in this view and will write to that effect to the Secretary of War, I think the President will consent to the change.

Colonel Marcy, inspector-general, has just reported that General Rosecrans has in the Department of Missouri 16,824 troops present, exclusive of some 2,000 Enrolled Militia, and that there are not more than 2,000 armed rebels in the entire department, and that these are in small guerrilla bands, concealed in the woods. Occasional raids from these men cannot be prevented by any number of troops. Colonel Marcy recommends that 5,000 men be sent from General Rosecrans' command into the field. This will leave some 12,000 or 14,000 even more can be spared if those left in the State should be properly organized and distributed. Nothing, however, but a peremptory order from you will ever get any troops out of Missouri.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

P. S.-You will remember that in addition to Colonel Marcy's estimates an additional regiment of cavalry was given to General Rosecrans a few days ago.

H. W. H.

NASHVILLE, TENN., April 15, 1864.

General STEELE,

Via Little Rock:

Dispatch of 7th from Camden is received. I know that General Grant expects Generals Banks and A. J. Smith's forces to come out of Red River for some other work very soon, and you should push with all possible speed to make a junction on Red River. Banks' forces should by this time be in Shreveport.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

GRAND ECORE, LA., April 15, 1864.

Major General F. STEELE:

GENERAL:

* * * *

The enemy is in larger force than was anticipated by the Government, and has manifested his determination to fight for the posses-

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