him, without offending the Juarez party. General V. is in favor of the French. Supplies are on the road from Matamoras and from Helena. I have arranged to have 1,000 cartridge-boxes manufactured for the command. A heavy rain fell on the night of the 14th, and the grass is springing up. It will not be long until we can move in almost any direction, which will facilitate our chances of success.

When we reach Rio Grande City we shall place ourselves in communication with our friends in Matamoras, and I hope that the question of supplies will be promptly solved. Colonel Latham writes that the Yankees sent a deputation to Monterey asking the Juarez government to grant them leave of marching against Laredo by way of Camargo, Mier, &c. The answer of Juarez had not been received or made public when Colonel Latham wrote. Should the request be granted would I not be justifiable in crossing the Rio Grande to meet the enemy? It would almost be tantamount to a declaration of war on the part of the Juarez government against the Confederate States.

If President Juarez sees proper to transfer the theater of operations from Texas to Mexico he should be gratified. In that event, the Vidauri and the French party would be our allies, and I have never viewed the fact that we might be placed side by side with the French in Mexico as portending evil to our cause. I do not wish to be understood as intending to rashly plunge into complications. I shall await orders, unless impending danger and necessity render action a duty.

I have the honor to be, your very obedient servant,

JOHN S. FORD,

Colonel, Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

Write Colonel Ford: Should the Federals march up on the opposite side of the river of course you are authorized to cross over and whip them, as it would be a declaration of war. You will, however, cultivate friendly relations with the Juarez party, as it is, of course, to our interest so to do.

CAMP NEAR WILLABY, C. N., April 17, 1864.

Colonel STAND WATIE,

Commanding Brigade:

COLONEL: We arrived here day before yesterday. I sent a small scout to Rabbit Ford, near Gibson, which will return to-night or to-morrow with the news. I found Captain Gordon here and sent him above Spring Town, 35 miles, to see if he could make any discoveries in regard to the Kansian Indians. Captain Gordon says he ran into a camp of some half dozen of those Indians when he first came, about 10 miles above here. I have small scouts through the country. As soon as these scouts return I will determine what I will do, whether to go into the Cherokee Nation before attacking the Kansas Indians. I think it most likely that I will leave here day after to-morrow and take in the Indians, and thence to Gibson and through the nation. This, though, will depend on information received from my scouts. We find abundance of corn here anywhere. I expect