A.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, January 24, 1864.

DEAR MAJOR: Yours by Captain Black is just received. I am obliged to you for the early efforts you have manifested to supply my command.

I must have telegraphic communication with Fort blunt (old Fort Gibson) and Fort Smith.

The Arkansas River must be lined with posts, and department commanders must have connections with them everywhere. I hope, therefore, you will be prepared to add from 200 to 300 miles of line to the Fort Scott line, as I expect to get the privilege of so extending it.

I have ordered out a full company in place of a small detail to push the work to Fort Scott, and your superintendent is actively and I think successfully carry [ing] on the work.

I am, major, very truly, yours,

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

B.

Annual report of Captain R. C. Clowry, assistant quartermaster, assistant superintendent U. S. military telegraph, Department of Arkansas.

LITTLE ROCK, June 30, 1864.

Having been appointed assistant quartermaster on October 27, 1863, I was ordered to report for duty to Colonel Anson Stager, assistant quartermaster, superintendent U. S. military telegraph, who assigned me to duty as assistant superintendent U. S. military telegraph in the Department of Arkansas, or, as it was then, the District of Arkansas, with headquarters at Little Rock.

I left Saint Louis, Mo., on November 21, 1863, and on my arrival at Little Rock found three military telegraph lines in operation from that post to the following places:

Miles.

Little Rock to Devall's Bluff, Ark........................ 47

Little Rock to Pine Bluff, Ark............................ 45

Little Rock to Benton, Ark................................ 25

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Total..................................................... 117

All these lines were erected by Captain George H. Smith, assistant quartermaster, assistant superintendent military telegraph, Department of the Missouri, who transferred them to me in November, 1863.

A very large number of dispatches were sent over these lines, as will be seen by the annexed statement of dispatches sent over military lines, &c.

On December 17, 1863, I received orders from Major General F. Steele, commanding, to take down the wire to Benton, twenty-five miles south, as he wished to draw in his outpost from that place to a point five miles from Little Rock.

I reeled up the wire and took off all the caps of the insulators, it being impossible to get the brackets off the poles in such a shape as to leave them fit for again.

On December 28, 1863, in accordance with orders from Major- General Steele, I started my train with fifty miles of wire to Lewisburg,