-"% ■^:s>j 1 :\-^ .^J^ '^" ^ W .. -;■ ? ■fti? ^^. ^> r ^''--J9 Jr -3> N . -"-> \r '^- > ^»i^s..?^ rx George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS ■irs ^.^^ ?;'-»!»* ^1> ^ ■' V ^.^V:^ N^ -?>^' ^-^ _.v ■> >^ v ^?;^ ,^' -Y V Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in 2010 witii funding from Duke University Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/reportofmajorgenOOconf REI-ORT ^t/l^ OF MAJOR GENKKAL HiNDMAN Of' HIS OPERATIOxXS IN THE TRAXS-MISSISSIPPI DISTRIOT, PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF CONGRESS. RICHMOND : R. M. SMITH. PUBLIC PRINTER^ 186-i. >-«\ 1 >. MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. RrciiMOxND, Ya., Jan. 13, 18G4. To the Senate and House of Representatives : I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering a copy of " Major General Ilin'i- man's report of his operations while in command of the trans-Misais- sippi district." JEFFERSON DAVIS. COMMUNICATION OF THE SECRETARY OF WAK. CONFEDF^RATE StaTES OF AmERICA, ^ ^^ War Department, ' w Richramd, Va, January 1 1, 1864.) To the President of the Confederate States : Sir : I have the honor to forward for the information of Congress copies of Major General Ilindman's report of his operations while in command of the trans-Mississippi district, with an appendix showing what ofnccrs were particularly useful in assisting these operations, in response to a resolution of the House of Representatives. • I am, sir, respectfully, Your obedient servant, JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War. GENERAL H IN OMAN S REPORT, F^rcuMoNP, Va., June 19. 1865. General S Cocper, 'Adjutant end Jrspccfor General : Gr.NERAiL r Heretofore it has been impracticable forme to make anv connected report of my services as commander of the trans-MIssit- sippi district. Such a report is, therefore, submitted at this time. I was ordered to that district by General G. T. Beauregard, cooi- manding the western department, which included the country beyond the Mississippi. His orders to me were as follows : '* IIkaduuvutfrs Wkstrrn Depart.mknt. } Corinth, May 26, 1862. i •• GENERAL ORDERS, ) No. 59. \ "■ Major General T. C. Hiudman is relieved from duty in this army, and, at the eivrnest solicitations of the people of Arkansas, is assign^.i to the command of the forces in that State and the Indian country, or that hereafter may come within their limits. lie is charged with their defence, and is fully authorized and empowercl to organii:-? its troops, under the act of Aptil 16th, 185i}, entitled *An act to fur- llier provitle for the public defence.' "• The General commanding parts with tnis gallant officer, who?" actions in the field have been so valuably rendered, with sincere regret, lie does so at the urgent request of his own people, who t»o greatly need and justly value his services at this juncture. •■ By command of General IJeaurgard. " Geor^k Wm. Brknt, Acting Chief of Stojf. " lExtract.] '• IIf.aixjiartcrs We.'^tfrn Department, ) '• Corinth, Mm., May 27, 180 2. S '■ GENERAL ORDERS. ^ '=No. 60. S '• V Major General llindman's command will be designatcu 4" the trans-Mississippi district, and will comprise the following tarrt- tory, to-wit : The States of Missouri and Arkansas, and that portion of the State of Louisiana north of Red river, and the Indian territory. •• By command of General Beauregard. ♦♦George Wm. Brknt, Acting Chef of Staff.' "When these orders were received I commanded a divigioii in Gen- eral Bragg's corps at Corinth. It was the largest division in the entire army, compose 1 almost wholly of veteran troops, and could not fail to distinguish the oflicer who might lead it in battle. I relinquished this command reluctantly as a soldier, in obedience to my superior, but under the impression that I might be more useful in the new field assigned me. In the existing condition of tbings. General Beauregard could not ppare ir.c a soldier, a gun, a pound of powder, nor a single dollar of money. However, at Memphis, which was then being evacuated, I obtained from Government officers and agents thirty- five Enfield lifles, four hundred damaged shot guns and sporting rifles, and two iiundred rounds of shot and shell for six-pounders ; impressed seventy- five thousand percussion caps, some shoes, blankets and camp equipage, and purchased a small quantity of medicines. By permis- HJon of General Beauregard, applied for and received by telegraph, I also took from the banks of that city, by impressment, one million dollars in Confederate currency. In addition, I sent two of my staff officers to Grenada, Jackson, Columbus, and other depots, with requisitions for ordnance and ordnance stores, instructing them to take even condemned articles, and to bring them to me by the most practicable route. On the way down the Mississippi I caused large quantities of cotton to be burned, pursuant to the order of the War Department on that subject, to prevent it from falling into the hands of the enemy. At Helena I seized all the ammunition, shoes, blankets and most valuable medi- cines held for pale. Several steamboats, which were ascending and would hare been captured by the enemy, were required to turn back and go into the Arkansas. They were r.ftcrwards invaluable in transporting subsistence and other stores. I arrived at Little Rock on May 3')th, and on thegiext day issued the following order: "Headquarters Trans-Mississippi Disthict, ) Little Rock. Ark. . May 31,1862. J '* GENERAL ORDERS, / No. 1. ^ " I. Pursuant to general orders, Nos. 59 and 6! I, from headquar- ters, western department, the undersigned assumes command of the trans-Mississippi district, composed of the States of Arkansas and Missouri, the Indian territory, and that part of Louisiana lying north of Red river; and of all the forces which now are or hereafter may be therein. ** T. G. HiNDMAN, Major Gmeral. ''Official: R. C. Newton, ^. ^. Gr The state of affairs in tho trans-Mississippi district was extremely discouraging, Prior to the Elkhorn disaster the reverse har] been the case. At that time the enemy, indael, occupie;! all of Missouri, hut the spirit of resistance was unquenched, and might at any moment Maze into formidable rebellion. Van Dorn, Price and McGalloch, with the best army we had yet put in the field in that region, were in iaoi'thwest Arkansas, securing it against invasion. J^rlgadier General Pike held a corresponding line in the Indian country, -where the Oonfederate supremacy was undisputed. The battle of Elkhorn was fought in March, 1862. Our forces vere defeated and compelled to retreat to the Arkansas river. Soon after, in anticipation of a grand contest near Corinth, they were moved east of the Miesissippi, by order of General Albert Sidney .Johnston, then commanding the Western department. They took with them from Arka'.isas all material of war and public property, of every description. Immediately afterwards. Brigadier General Pike retreated southward, to the vicinity of Red river. Thus Missouri was left hopeless of early succor, Arkansas without a soldier, and the Indian country undefended, except by its own inhabitants. Availing himself of these advantages, the Federal General Curtis marched from Elkhcrn, along White river, into northeast Arkansas, and halted at Batesville, ninety miles from Little Rock, to get sup- plies for an advance on that place. A Federal force, five thousand strong, was organized at Fort Scott, under the name of the " Indian expedition," and with the avowed intention to invade the Indian country and wrest it from our control. Hostile Indians began collecting on the border, and Federal emissaries were busy among the Cherokees and Creeks inciting disaffection. Detachments of Federal cavalry penetrated, at will, into various parts of the upper half of Arkansas, plundering and burning houses, stealing horses and slaves, destroying farming utensils, murdering loyal men or carrying them into captivity, forcing the oath of allegiance on the timid and Jiasera- iaating disloyal sentiments among the ignorant. A regiment of Federal Arkansians was organized at Batesville, r^nother commenced in northwest Arkansas, and the work of recruiting for the Federal service went on prosperously. Tory bands were organized or in pro- cess of organization in many counties, not only in the upper, but in the lo^er half of the State likewise, and depredations and outrages upon loyal citizens were of constant occurrence. Straggling soldiers, belonging to distant commands, traversed the country, armed and lawless, robbing the people of their property under pretence of *' im- pressing " it for the Confederate service. The Governor and other executive officers fled from the capital, taking the archives of State with them. The courts were suspended, and civil magistrates almost universally ceased to exercise their functions. Confederate money was openly refused, or so depreciated as to be nearly worthless. This, with the short crop of the preceding year, and the failure, on all the uplands, of the one then growing, gave rise to the crueh st extortion in the necessaries of life, and menaced the poor with actual starvation. These evils were aggravated by an address of the Governor, issued shortly before his flight, deprecating the withdrawal of troops and threatening secession from the Confederacy. Brigadier General J. S. Roane had been placed in command :>f Ar- kansas by General Van Dorn, but without any troops. Ho was in- ta the subject, decided to go home. To prevent further losses, Genor.vl Hardee devolved on me the duty of effecting the transfer of the remain- ing four regiments. It was done by hurrj'ing to their camps, and mus- tering them into the Confederate service, before the Adjutant (:ener.J of the State could reach them. Warned by this experience, and re membering the Governor's late threat of secession, I representee! to him that 1 should feel constrained to apply the provision of the "con- script; act" to his troops, and to impress whatever stores he in ght ac- cumulate. He abandoned the attempt, and transferred to the Lonfcd- eracy the few troops already raised, together with all military prop- erty of the State. I now directed the enrollment and orguuz^t: >a into companies and regiments, of all men in Arkansas subject to con- scription. Absentees from commands east of the Mississippi were to be in- cluded, but with a. memorandum, stating their proper companies a;..! regiments. Substitution was prohibited, because I regarded it 33 cer- tain to increase the difficulties, already too great, that were in ray way. To encourage volunteering, it was announced that they who sho;...d form companies by June 2i)th, wculd be permitted to elect their com- pany officers ; but that in all other cases the company o^icers, an^* in all cases the field and staff officers, would be appointed. Under Ihn conscript law, these men were to be distributed among the old regi- ments, depriving them of all right to elect ofhcers of any gralo. i enlarged instead of curtailing their privileges. J.iaying off t!ic St?-.tc into convenient districts. I appointed a commander over each, giving him control of the enrolling officers within hia district, authorisiof; him to purchase or impress arms, ammunition, and the neccttsary sup plies, and assigning to him a quartermaster and commissary. Of these staff officers, bonds were required in the penalty and acooiding to the form prescribed by law. The various district commanders and enrolling officers were la- Btructed to rcpiort, in detail, upon the agricultural and mineral r*^- eourccs cf each county, and its condition in respect of transportatic'a, and other matters important to be known. Their reports were 8'j!>- flequently abstracted by Major (now Brigadier General) F. A. Shoapc, of my staff, and forwarded to Richmond. 10 ^lilitary posts were established at those points at which troops wer© tc be ccncentrated, and at other points where it was deemed expe- dient to place supplies in reserve, or for troops on the march. For these posts, officers of the several staff departments were appointed, and the accumulation of supplies commenced. Measures were also adopted for manufacturing many important ar- ticles for army use ; among these articles were salt, leather, shoes, wagons, harness, gun-carriages and caissons, powder, shot and shell, ti\d accoutrements, all of which were soon produced in considerable quantities. Preparations were made for mining and smelting iron, with the view to cast field and heavy artillery ; and moulds, furnaces, and lathes were constructed for this purpose. Machinery was made for manufacturing percussion caps and small arms, and both were furnedout in small quantity, but of excellent quality. Lead mines were opened and worked. A chemical laboratory was established, and suc- cessfully operated, in aiding the ordnance department, and in theraan- ur.icture ot calomel, castor oil, spirits of nitre, the various tinctures of iron, and other valuable medicines. Most of these works were lo- cated at and near Arkadelphia, on the Ouachita river, seventy-five t::;iles south from Little Rock. The tools, machinery, and materials were gathered piece-meal, or else made by hand labor. Nothing of the sort had been before attempted on government account, in Arkan- sjtS, to my knowledge, except the manufacture of small arms, the ma- dr.inery for which was taken away by General Van Dorn ; and there w£8 neither capital nor sufficient enterprise among citizens to engage in such undertakings. Considering the isolation of my district, and the virtual impossibility of supplying it from east of the Mississippi,, )Tjy purpose was to make it completely self-sustaining. . With a reason- able amount of money, I should have accomplished this design, if left to my discretion in its execution. The natural resources of that <::untry are truly wonderful in their abundance and variety. Energy Ri'd a liberal foresight might develope them to an immensely valuable J??: tent. Being made responsible for the defence of north Louisiana, I a3» Signed Brigadier General Roane to that command, with instructions to enroil and organize the men subject to conscription. He found, at Monroe, two regiments and a battalion of unarmed infantry, and an aitillcry company without guns. Steps had been taken to render f.hesc troops efficient, and to add to them; when, without any notice to me, Brigadier General Blanchard was placed in command of the conscripts of north Louisiana, by the Secretary of War. Upon the receipt, from General Blanchard, of a copy of the Secretary's order, I recalled General Roane« With the view to revive the hopes of loyal men in Missouri, and to ^c'c troops from that State, I gave authority to various persons to raise companies and regiments there, and to operate as guerrillas. They soon became exceedingly active, and rendered important services, destroying wagon trains and transports, tearing up railways, break- ing telegraph lines, capturing towns, and thus compelling the enemy to keep there a large force that might hay© been employed elsewhere, 11 The victory won at Lono Jack, by Colonels Cockrell and Jockraan, aided by Captain -^^^uantrell, was one of the most brilliant affairs of the war, resulting in the complete rout of a superior force, and the capture of their artiHerv, two splendid' bronze rifles, with the liorses and full equipments; which were safely brought to me, and after- wards proved very valuable. Besides the officers above mentioned, Colonel Porter, and others, highly distinguished themselves and greatly annoyed the enemy. I regret that the difficulty of communi- cating with me while they were so employed, prevented any wiittcn reports, and leaves me unable to speak of their operations in the terras deserved. Missourians in Arkansas, belonging to the old " State Guard," were strongly desirous to revive that organization. Embarrassment on that score was prevented by accepting their general officers — Brigadier Generals McBrido and Rains — into the Confederate service, condi- tioned upon the approval of the Secretary of War. The number of these men was not great, nor were they embodied ; but they were tried soldiers, full of zeal for the cause, and it woiiM have been a serious misfortune to have Inst their services, or to have been involved in dissentions with them. Being apprised that tlierc were large bodies of troops in Tex'x < un- , employed, 1 applied to Brigadier General ITebert and Brigadier Gen- eral M'Culloch to send, or, if practicable, bring them to me. The action of both these officers was prompt, liberal, and patriotic ; and I- take this opportunity to acknowledge my obligation to them. They sent me many fine regiments, some of which came armed, and others were armed by me. In view of the dangers that threatened to overwhelm my district, I decided that all cotton in Arkansas and north Louisiana was in im- minent danger of filling into the hands of the enemy. Beinjxof that opini(;n, it was my duty, under the act of Congress of March 17th, 1862, and the order of the. War D:^partinent thereon, to take such steps as would certaiuly put this property out of the enemy's reach;. To defer taking it into possession until the enemy should get in its immediate vicinity, and then rely upon the owners to destroy it, would be puerile. Wherever that had been tried, the enemy got at least fivo bales out of every ten. Whetlier this resulted from the fears or the (•upidify of the owners, was immaterial. I determined to dispose of the matter different iy and effectually. An order was issued, seizing all the cotton which I had regarded as in danger, and directing receipts given for it, by agents appointed for the purpose. The same orier directed that all cotton adjacent to the enemy's lines should be burned immediately; that the reir^aindcr should bo removed twenty m'les from any navigable stream, and burne 1 upon the approach of an etie- my; but that, out of all, as far as practicable, ten pounds should be issued, as a gratuity, to e.i;h mambcr of every family, for doinestio manufactures. The distribution in ten pound parcels was as ccrt-ain a mode of keeping the cotton out of the enemy's hands as to de=«troj it. while, in fact, it extorted from misfortune a great public ben^^^lt. Many planters complained — those nearest the enemy more Joydl? 13 than any. The enemy also expressed great indignation, and denoun- ced the penalty of death against all cotton-burners. But, on the other hand, the object of the law was accomplished more fully than was possible under any different policy; and, at the same time, the wives and children of soldiers, and other necessitous persons, were provided with the material for clothing themselves and their relations in the army. In furtheracce of this same policy, I gave considerable aid to persons skilled in the manufacture of cotton and wool cards, spinning wheels and looms, and caused wool to be brought from Texas and ex- changed, at cost and carriage, for army supplies. This resulted in it developeraent of home industry and production never before equalled, and which was an essential element of my success in the creation and maintenance of an army. "On the day of taking command, I caused the pov.'der on the " Pontchartrain " to be sifted, and thereby obtained a considerable quantity for small arms. A further supply, together with lead and caps, was procured from the citizens of Little Rock and vicinity, by donations, purchases, and impressments. This ammuni- tion, and that which I had brought with mc, was rapidly prepared for use, at the laboratory established at the Little Rock arsenal for the purpose. As illustrating the pitiable scarcity of material in the coun- try, the fact may be stated that it was found necessary to use public documents of the State library for cartridge paper. Gunsmiths were employed or conscribed, tools purchased or im- pressed, and the repair of the damaged guns I brought with me, and about an equal number found at Little Rock, was commenced at once. Men were transferred from the unarmed infantry to the artillery com- pany, and it was otherwise rendered as effective as possible. Four iron guns, condemned under the United States Government, and lefc at tlie arsenal as useless, and eight others that had been inserted in the earth for years as corner posts, were mounted and equipped, and aferwards rendered g^od service in the field. On June 3d, anticipating the fall of Mempliis, and that Federal fleets would ascend White river and the Ark?.nsas, to co-operate with Curtis, I took steps for obstructing both streams. The sudden fall of the Arkansas obviated the danger as to it, for the time being. The point selected on White river was St Charles, about one hundred miles above the mouth, where the first bluff appears. A pile-driver was taken there from Little Rock, and another hauled ov n* land from Madison, on the St. Francis. Timber was cut and iioated down, and great energy disi layed in the work. Captain A..M. Williams, of mi' staff, had charge of this undertaking, assisted by Mr. L. Leary and Mr. George Brodie, citizens. One hundred men of the infantry went under Captain Williams, thirty-five being armed with the Enfield rifles brought from Memphis ; the others were intended for labor on the obstructions. I had no arms for them. On June 5th, I pushed my cavalry boldly against Curtis's advance, which outnumbered them as three to one. I had previously endeav- ored to impress Curtis with the belief that a large force came with me from Corinth, and that heavy reinforcements had reached me from^ Texas. This information was conveyed to him by spies and disloyal v IS persons, the latter being themselves deceived. The result answered my expectations. After a very feeble resistance, the Federal cavalry fell back beyond bayou Des Arc. I then ordered the "]Mauripas" np White river to capture or destroy the supplies collected at Grand Glaize and Jacksonport, and to alarm the enemy by thus threatening his communication witli Batesville. Captain Fry executed these ord- ers with admirable promptness and complete success. At the same time, the enemy was attacked in front. lie retired in confusion to Little Red river, and thence retreated to the vicinity of Batesville. Brigadier General A. Rust, who had been ordered to report to me by General Van Dorn, had command of my cavalry at that time. These operations gave me a good line of defence — that of White river, and its tributary, the Little Red. Our losses did not exceed fifty. The enemy lost, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, over three hundred, with as many arms, and several wagons containing ammu- nition. Skirmishing was now almost continuous, and our troops were uniformly successful. Captain Alf. Johnson, commanding an un- attached company of Texans, inflicted fiequent defeats upon Federal pcouting parties, and won much distinction as a brave and skillful parti- san. Upon one occasion he literally destroyed an entire Federal company. Major ChrisTuari, commanding an Arkansas squadron, was bold and active. Captain Rutherford, of his coranaand, passed entirely around the Federal army, crossing White river, destroying a supply train from Missouri, and capturing a telegraph station a few miles north of Batesville, with the telegraphic correspondence of Cur- tis and llalleck. The former' declared the situation precarious, an advance impracticable without reinforcements, and that he could not remain where he was without supplies ; the latter promised both at once, saying he would send a cavalry brigade from Missouri, and in- fantry, with ample supplies, up White river. Memphis had long since fallen, and the enemy controlled the Mis- sissippi from St. Louis to Vicksburg. securing access for his gunboats and transports into White river. That stream afforded ten feet of water to DeVall's Bluff, one hundred and seventy-five miles from the mouth, and sixty miles east of Little Rock, with which place there is railway communication. On June 16th, a Federal fleet appeared in White river, near St. Charles. It consisted of the iron-clad gunboats "St. Louis" and " Mound City," each mounting thirteen guns ; the " Lexington " and " Conestoga," partially iron-clad, each carrying seven guns ; the tug "Tiger," carrying one twenty-four pounder howitzer; and three transports, with between one thousand and fifteen hundred infantry, under Colonel D. N. Fitch^ The " Mausipas " was at St. Charles, but would have been us-eless against the enemy's iron-clad vessels. The obstructions being incomplete, she was sunk across the channel, together with two steamboats. Two rifle thirty-two pounders and four field-pieces were put in battery on the bluff, manned by seventy-nine men of the crews of the " Mauripas " and " Pontchartrain," under Captain Dunnington, of the latter vessel. Captain Williams's armed men, thirty-five in number, were disposed as ^arpahooters, below ; 14 fho3o not armed were sent to the rear. Captain Fry was placed ia chief command. The Federal jjunboats attacked about nine, A. M., on the 17tb. After an engagement of nearly three hours duration, the "Mound City" was blown up by a shot from our batteries, and the rest retired out of range. The infantry then lande;], and carried the position, our little force spiking the guns and retiring up the river. Our loss was six killed, one wounded, and eight missing; that of the enemy was over two hundred. On the " Mound City •' alone one hundred and eighty perished. Captain Fry, the last to retreat, was severely wounded and made prisoner. For further particulars of the heroic conduct of this officer, and Captains Dunnington and Williams, with the officers and men under them, I refer to the detailed report of the engagement heretofore forwai'ded through the headquarters of the western department. Several days before this battle. Colonel (afterwards Brigadier General) A. Nelson, now deceased, a most excellent officer, arrived at Little Rock from Texas, with his well-armed and finely disciplined regiment of infantry. He was ordered to St. Charles in ample time to have reached there before its fall, but, being without ammunition, was detained at De Vall's Bluff, till I had su^jceeded in begging, buy- ing, and impressing enough for forty rounds, making it into cart- ridges, and sending it to him by rail. He then started down the river, by steamer, and was within fifteen miles of St. Charles when it fell. Apprized of that event, he returned to De Vall's Bluff, where entrenchments were thrown up, and" three heavy guns, from the Pontchartrain, put in position. Obstructions were also put in the channel to detain the enemy's vessels under fire. A regiment and battalion of Arkansas infantry, just organized and armed, partly with shot-guns and sporting rifles, and partly with pikes and lances, were sent to De Vall's Bluff, together with three batteries of artillery, and with the regiment already there, were formed into a brigade under Colonel Nelson. The expedition under Fitch was joined, on the 17th and 18th, by an additional gunboat and six transports, carrying troops, which raised his land force to four thousand men, or thereabouts. Evid^titly alarmed by the resistance met at Ft. Charles, he moved very slowly up stream, fired upon from both banks by my cavalry, dismounted, and by citizens. His losses were considerable. At Clarendon, twenty-five miles below De Vall's Bluff, he landed a regiment of infantry, and moved it forward on the west side to recoTmoitre. •escorted by the tug Tiger. After advancing five miles it was com- pelled to retire with a loss of fifty-five in killed and prisoners. This repulse was given by Morgan's squadron of Texans, and four unat- tached companies of Arkansas troops, under Captain P. H. Wheat, assisted by several "independent companies" of non-conscripts. I had called upon all citizens, not within the ages of conscription, to form themselves into companies bearing this designation, and of any strength between ten and eighty. They were to arm, equip, and ration themselves, and to serve at will, and were to receive the value 15 of subsistence and forage furnished, with p-ay as soldiers for the tico actually served. They proved invaluable as guides, scouts, and guerrillas. On June 24tli, certain information reached me that Curtis, with his entire array, was in motion, down the east bank of White river, and that he was almost destitute of f:upplios. Gcner:il RuU wr-H ordered towards Jacksonport, intending there to cross White river, get in Curtis' front, and dispute the passage of Black river, three miles above that place. To delay the enemy and gain time for tb.ia movement, Sweet's Texan regiment was throvvn across White river, above Batcsville, and fell upon his rear, killing, woun ling, and cap- turing over two hundred Fcderalii, and taking a nambor of wagon-j, containing army stores and sutler's goods, lid was compelled to retire, however, by the near approach of ^^shburn's cavalry bri- gade, marching from Missouri to reinforce \!artis. (rencral llust reported it impracticable to cross White river at or near Jacksonport. I then ordered him to Des Arc, seventy-five miles below, and after- wards to cross White river and take position on the Cache river, which Curtis must cross ia his march southward. His force vf "* increased at Des Arc by the addition of Colonel (now Brig. Gen.) D. McRae's regiment of Arkansas infantry, which that indomitable officer had marched to him at the rate f)f twenty-five miles a day,' arming his men by impressments and purchases on the route, I was enabled to send him a six gun battery, which just then arrived from' General Pike's headquarters, commanded by Captain (now Mijor) W. E. W)0 1- ruff, an officer of tried bravery and skill. The order for thi- battery was given on Mrj 31st. It al:^o directci General Pike to send me Dawson's regiment of Arkansas infantry, which might now have been extremely useful, lie sent the men, but took away from them their arms. Upon learning this fact, [ halted them on the march, till arms could be procured by purchase or impressment. Three regiments of infantry were being raised oast cf White river, mounted, to admit of their withdraw;il upon any suddea emergency. They were concentrated at Cotton Plant, fifteen miles east of Des Arc, and added to General Rust's command. His force, amounted to about five thousand effectives. His instructions were to resist the enemy to the last extremity — blockading rouh, burning bridges, destroying all supplies, growing crops iujladel, and pollu- ting the water by killing cattle, ripping the carcasses, and tirowing them in. In that country, at this season, the streams arc few and sluggish. 'No army could march through it so opposed. The oalj remaining route would be immediately along the bank of White river, crossing Cache at Clarendon. To meet that contingency, a gunboat was improvised by Captain Dunnington, by lining the stcanior To..; Sugg with cotton bales, and mounting an cightdnch columbiad at h-r bow. I proceeded to Do Vall's Bluff, where the danger seemed greatest the enemy below making serious demonstrations by land and wat-- daily, and the skirmishing being heavy and almost incessant. But after inspecting the works and observing the ppirit of the men, I 16 decided that a garrison, five hundred strong, could hold out against Fitch, and that I -would lead the remainder — about fifteen hundred — to General Rust, as soon as shot-guns and rifles could be obtained from Little Rock, instead of the pikes and lances with which most of them were armed. Two days elapsed before the change could be effected. In that interval Curtis' advance crossed Cache river, and Attacked General Rust, whose command, after an engagement of about thirty minutes, retreated in great disorder across White river. Many of Lis men deserted — both Texans and Arkansians. No report of this jifTair was ever received, though often called for; consequently, lam not able to give any of the details. My instructions for devastating the country were not executed. No longer able to prevent the junction of Curtis and Fitch, I withdrew my infantry from White river, evacuating De Vall's Bluif, without loss of any kind, and taking up ncAV a line — that of the Bayou Metre — twelve miles from Little Rock, by which the enemy's diffiulties in supplying himself would be increased, and his e/npioyment of gunboats rendered impossible, should he move against ir.3. White river now falling rapidly, the gunboats dropped down and went into the Mississippi, fired upon to the last moment from the west tank. Curtis, at the same time, mqved eastward to the Mississippi and established himself at Helena. A portion of my cavalry, under Colonel AY. H. Parsons, was thrown forward in that direction, and many successful attacks were made upon the enemy. The most important of these were at Hughes' ferry, on L'Anguillc river, thirty miles from Helena. A Federal cavalry regiment, with about two •hundred armed negroes, and as many more unarmed, were surprised in camp, and in effect, cut to pieces, losing over four hundred in Lilled, wounded, and prisoners, with all its baggage. Colonel Parsons and Lieutenant Colonel Rurleton, of his regiment, highly distin- guished themselves. Our loss was thirty killed and fifty-eight wounded. After this affair, the enemy confined himself in very narrow limits, immediately around Helena. Parsons' command was left to watch that line, and the remainder of my troops were put in camp, near Little Rock, and their organization and instruction com- menced. The scarcity of supplies now caused great distress. Nearly two months must yet elapse before the new crops would ripen. To lessen the consumption of corn, I found it necessary to dismount four regiments of Texans and three of Arkansians. This produced much dissatisfaction, and there were many desertions . in conse- quence. The diseases to which fresh troops are subject became prevalent ; many died, and many deserted for this cause. The men became clamorous for pay. I prevailed on the State authorities to turn over to me the war tax due the Confederacy, amounting to upwards of four hun- dred thousand dollars, and caused it to be disbursed as pay funds — one hundred thousand dollars to the troops in the Indian country, and the residue to those in Arkansas. But the unavoidable delay in doing this gave occasion for many desertions. In a word, desertions took place upon every conceivable pretext. Frequent arrests were 17 made, but in every instance the offenders were at first pardoned, and returned to duty, on promises of better conduct in future. Forgive- ness was thus extended from different considerations. Many were extremely ignorant, and had probably been misled ; others had wives and children suffering for food. Lastly, the regimental organizations made by me were not authorized by law, and, under the circumstances, I shrank from inflicting the death penalty. This lenity brought forth evil fruits. Mercy was taken for timidity. Desertions increased. My command seemed likely to dwindle to nothing. The raising of addi- tional troops was paralyzed. At length Colonel Nelson discovered, and reported to me, a wide-spread conspiracy to disband and go home* He ascertained that there was a regular organization for this purpose, and that a badge was adopted by the members for distinguish- ing each other. Within a few hours after this discovery, a signal gun was fired in the camp of an Arkansas regiment, and sixty men, headed bj two lieutenants, deliberately marched away, with their arms and accoutrements. Orders to arrest them were not executed. For the salvation of the country, I had taken the responsibility to force these men into service. I now resolved, for the same object, to compel them to remain. An order was issued convening a ** mili- tary commission" of three officers. Four prisoners were ordered be- fore it for trial. They were found guilty of double desertion, cutting the telegraph wire, and burning a tannery in Government employ. Each confessed his guilt. I ordered them shot to death in presence of the troops ; and saw the order executed. Fivo other men, four deserters and one citizen, guilty of inciting desertion, all of whom had been captured with arms in their hands, fighting in the Federal ranks, at the battle of L'Anguille, were tried in the same way, found guilty, and put to death. Two deserters were similarly dealt with at Fort Smith, and one at Batesville. These summary measures had the in- tended effect. The spirit of desertion was crushed. It did not again manifest itself while I commanded the trans-Mississippi district. In consequence of the virtual abdication of the civil authorities, I believed it my duty, as the only man having the requisite force, to institute a government ad interim. I considered this incumbent on me, alike for preserving society and creating and maintaining an army. Hence, on June 3l)th, I proclaimed martial law. To make thie declaration effective, a provost marshal was appointed in each county, and all the independent companies therein were placed under his con- trol. Over these were appointed provost marshals of districts, which included several counties. The Provost Marshal General, at my headquarters, had command ove*" all. It was my intention still fur- ther to improve and strengthen the organization by forming the in- independent companies into regiments and brigades, as a reserve force, for future contingencies. Martial law, and the regulations enforcing it, put an end to the an- archy by which the loyal population had been so long afllictcd. They exorcised the devil of extortion, that was torturing soldiers into do- Bcrtion by starving their wives and children. They restored the credit of the Confederate currency, and saved the army from starvation. 18 They brcke up trading with the enemy, and destroyed or removed out of his reach, thousands of bales of cotton, that selfish and venal planters were ready to sell for Federal gold. They ensured the ex- clusion of spies, the arrest of traitors, stragglers and deserters, and the enforcement of the conscription. Occasional acts of injustice may have been committed, but, in the main, the greatest good of the greatest number of loyal citizens was premoted. That was certainly the. re- sult; because these citizens themselves, as members of the indepen- dent companies, carried martial law into effect in their respective localities. Many arrest were made ; but, though the order proclaim- ing martial law plainly invited the civil authorities to reassert their jurisdiction, I never heard that the writ of habeas co/pus was oven spoken of, except in the case of a negro man, who had attempted the rape of a white woman, whose relations were in the army. The writ was not sued out, and the negro was hanged, as he deserved to be. The opposition to martial law never embraced many persons other than lories, speculators, extortioners and deserters, and a few of the smaller politicians, who mistook the clamors of these malcontents for the voice of the people. Before resorting to this alternative, I not only satisfied myself that the circumstances made it necessary, but that it was demanded as a necessity by the loyal population. During all of June, letters and petitions to that effect came to me continually. Prominent citizens urged it at personal interviews. The editors of the two leading exponents of public opinion in Arkansas — the Gazette and 2\u€ Democrat — strongly advised it. The State military board approved it. Not a single State officer, nor a member of Congress, at any time indicated to me a different opinion. There seemed to bo but this or.e sentiment among good citizens. As to my right to de- clare martial law, I did not, nor do I now, entertain the shadow of a doubt. Precedents had been set by commanding generals in every part of the Confederacy. I found it in force over the city of Little Rock, by an order of General Beauregard. It had been declared at Van-Buren and Fort Smith, as I was informed, by General Van Dorn or General Price. General Hebert had proclaimed it in Texas. Brigadier General Albert Pike, in a letter bearing date *' Headquar- ters Department of Indian Territory, Fort McCulloch, 8th June, 1862," advised me that he had proclaimed it over a portion of his command; and his " general order No. — ," dated June 30, 1863, directed one of his officers to " deal in the most summary manner" with wJiiLe men guilty of any acts of violence or outrage. East of the Mississippi, martial law had been proclaimed at divers places by Gen- eral Bragg ; and at Murfreesboro', during the retreat from Kentucky, I proclaimed it, and was fully sustained by General Albert Sidney Johnston. But if there had been no precedent at all, I should, never- theless, have taken the responsibility, risking myself upon the justice of my country, and the rectitude of my motives. In the latter part of July, alarming intelligence reached me from the upper Indian country. The Federal " Indian expedition" was moving from Fort Scott, and its advance had crossed the Cherokee line. To meet this force, five thousand strong, we had only the brave 19 Stand Watie, with his faithful regiment of half-breed Cherokeea; Drew's regiment of full-bloods, nanny of whom were disaffected ; and Clarkson's battalion of MissouriJis, raised under ray orders, and sent there at the urgent request of Watie and Drew, as communicated through the Lieutenant Colonel of Drew's regiment. This ?raall command encountered the enemy and was defeated. Clarkson was captured, with his train, and many of his men dispersed. Kxcept a small body, under the gallant Captain Pickens Benge, Drew's regiment deserted to the enemy. With a courage never surpassed, Stand Wa- tie still resisted. On one occasion, a portion of his regiment, under Major E. C. Boudinot, repulsed the Federal advance of five fold greater strength. But it was not possible to make head against such odds, and he was at length compelled to fall back behind the Arkan- sas. The full bloods, or ** Pin Indians,' now rose in rebellion, and committed horrid excesses. John Ross, the Cherokee chief, was pre- tendedly taken prisoner, but, as afterwards appeared, really went over to the enemy, with the archives and money of the nation. Looking foiward to this invasion, I had on May 3 1st, the day of taking command, ordered General Pike to advance his force to the Kansas border, tor the protection of the Indian country. He was then at Fort McCu!loch, about twenty-five miles from the extreme south line of that country, fortifying in an open prairie, with Red river just in his rear. The order reached him on June 8th. Receiv- ing no information that it had been obeyed, I repeated it on June 17th, directing him to ** move at once to or near Fort Gibson, in the Chero- kee nation." He received this order on June 24th. On July 8th, he being still at Fort McCulloch, I again ordered him forward, in- structing him to go by way of Fort Smith, assume command of the troops in northwest Arkansas, in addition to his own, and make the best disposition of them possible, to repel invasion, lie acknowledged the receipt of these instructions on July 15th, writing still from Fort McCulloch, and advised me that a part of his troops had already marched, and that he would soon follow with the remainder. On July 21st, he had succeeded in getting as far as Boggy Depjt, a dis- tance of twenty-five miles. In the meantime he had forwarded his resignation of the office of Brigadier General, and applied to me to relieve him from duty. In his letter of 21st, when he had approached twenty-five miles nearer the enemy, he said : *' I repeat my request to be immediately relieved of this com- mand. If I do not receive an order to that effect in fourteen days, I shall leave the command in the hands of Colonel Cooper." In his letter of July 3d, speaking of the unfavorable impression existing as to his conduct in the battle of Elkhorn, he said: ** There has been a regular deluge of lies poured out about me, in Arkansas and Texas ; and the men of the regiments of Darnell and Dawson, who owe me nothing but favors and kindness, have sown them broadcast over these two States, to such an extent that I should be very obtuse not to know the immense disadvantages under which I labor in endeavoring to effect anything. The poison is in the minds 2^ of the men of my own commend, and I should be sincerely rejoiced to have the opportunity of retiring to private life." In the same letter, speaking olScertain suggestions he had made to the President, at an early day of the war, in relation to Indian af- fairs, he said : " The response to my recommendation wag my own appoint- ment, which I did not anticipate, and did not wish ; and I am alto- gether too corpulent to ride much on horseback, and besides am subject to neuralgia in the back, which, seizing me suddenly, utterly disables me for days at a time. I only consented to take the d — d command, because I had made the treaties, felt personally responsible for the security of the country here, and knew it was supposed I could manage better with the Indians than any one else. I am sure I wish somebody else would take it." Under these circumstances, it^eemed that the interests of the ser- vice would be promoted, and his own desires gratified, by complying with General Pike's request, I therefore forwarded his resignation to Richmond, with my approval, and at the same time, relieved him from duty. On the receipt of my order to that eifect, he issued and distributed a printed circular, addressed to the Indians, and equally likely to reach the enemy, in which, under pretence of defending the Confederate Government, he evidently sought to excite prejudice against it, and endeavored thoroughly to disgust and dishearten our Indian allies, by suppressing or perverting facts, where their publica- tion would be beneficial to our cause, and openly proclaiming them when they should have been concealed. This extract will illustrate the character of the paper : '• I tried in vain to get men enough from Arkansas and Texas to prevent an invasion of the Cherokee country. You can see now, at Cantonment Davis, all the white troops I was allowed to have. You will plainly see that with them, if they had all been in the Cherokee country, two or three thousand of the enemy could at any time have driven them away. And, while they were there, if I could have fed them there, what would have kept the northern troops, and the hostile Creeks, and other Indians, from coming down to the Deep Fork and North Fork of the Canadian, and driving out our friends from the Creek and Seminole country ?" Colonel (now Brigadier General) D. 11, Cooper, who was next in rank and had succeeded to the command, deemed it his duty to place General Pike in arrest, and so informed me, enclosing a copy of the circular, and expressing the opinion that the author was insane, cr a traitor. I approved his action, and ordered General Pike sent to Little Rock, in custody. I also forwarded Colonel Cooper's letter to Richmond, with an endorsement, asking to withdraw my approval of General Pike's resignation, that I might bring him before a court- martial, on charges of falsehood, cowardice and treason. He was also liable to the penalties prescribed by section twenty-nine of the act of Congress, " regulating intercourse with the Indians, and to preserve peace on the frontiers," approved April 8th, 1862, as follows: '* If any person shall send, make, carry or deliver any talk, speech, message or letter, to any Indian nation, tribe, band, chief or indi- viduai, with intent to * * #_ » ^.^^.^ ^^^^ ^^^-^^^ ^^-^^^ ^,^^^^ chief or Indian dissatisfied with their relations with the Confederate btat s, or uneasy or discontented, the person so offendino- shall on conviction, be punished by fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars, nor less than two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not less than two, nor more than ten ye::rs ; and the intent above mentioned shall be conclusively inferred from knowledge of the contents of any such talk, speech, message, or letter in writino-." But his resignation had been accepted, after which Mr Pike reappeared at " Fort McCulloch," issued an order as " Brigadier Gene- ral commanding," and preventc-d the march of troops from there towards the enemy. I again ordered him taken in custody, and con- ducted to Little Rock. My conviction that he v. as a traitor was con- firmed Uy the discovery, among the very troops thus detained by him, and among citizens in the adjacent part of Texas, of a secret society, formed to aid in restoring the Yankee Union Fortv-six of these traitors were summarily put to death by the people of nonheast Texas. Two of them declared that Mr. Pike was looked to as a sympathizer, and the probable leader of their organization. A letter from General Holmes to the Secretary of War, dated November Kith, 18G2, and now on file at the Adjutant General's office, is referred to in this con- nection. This society having been broken up. and Mr. Pike's in- fluence among either whites or Indians amounting to very little, he was turned loose, and has since been permitted to go at large. Colonel Cooper moved forward to the Arkansas, and united with Stand Watie. At the same time, I pushed across the mountains, from Fort Smith, two regiments of Missourians, under Brigadier General Raines, and three regiments of Arkansians, under Colonel C. A Car- roll. The enemy's communication with Missouri and Kansas being thus threatened, and Cooper moving up in his front, he retreated hastily towards and beyond the Kansas line. Thus the loyal Cherokees were restored to their country, and enabled to assemble a convention, de- pose Ross and make Stand Watie chief of the nation. Shortly af- terwards I arrived at Tahlequah, the Cherokee capital, having been detained until then at Little Rock, by the appearance of a largo fleet of gunboats and transports, at the mouth of the Arkansas, and in the lower White river. The hostile or Pin Indians yet infested the upper parts of the Cherokee country,. carrying on a guerrilla war and committing num- berless atrocious outrages. Houses were burned, fields laid waste, and women and children massacred by these merciless savages. Be- tween one and two thousand helpless Cherokees fled across the line into Arkansas, where I caused them to be subsisted at Government expense. Delaying only long enough to concentrate the troops, and arrange for supplies, I moved forward to the north border of Arkansas, and thence into Missouri, clearing the Cherokee country entirely of hos- tile Indians, driving back the enemy's advanced parties, and eventu- ally compelling the main body to retreat to the vicinity of Fort Scott, '' 2t Within fifteen days, an extent of territory one hundred miles long and fifty miles wide, was regained to the Confederacy, and a strong line secured in south Missouri, fully protecting northwest Arkansas and the Indian country. The '' Indian expedition," under Blount, which had retreated be- fore my troops, was a mixed force of whites and Indians. They were much demoralized, running away almost without firing a gun when- ever attacked. My mounted men, though less numerous, were more than a match for them. I resolved, therefore, to lead my cavalry, at once against Blount, and, having routed him, and driven them into Kansas, to turn eastward, and attack Springfield ; my infantry, under General Raines, also moving upon it from the South. Brigadier General E. Tottenhad there six thousand men, mostly of the Missouri militia. He was calling for reinforcements, and it was to be antici- pated that Blount would unite with him. I would probably be soon outnumbered, and driven back to the Arkansas river, unless able to carry out the plan above mentioned The preliminary orders were issued and preparations were being made with energy, when I was ordered immediately to Little Rock, by Major General (now Lieute- nant General,) T. H. Holmes, who had been assigned to the command of the '* trans-Mississippi department," including my dis- trict, and had arrived at Little Rock shortly before my departure. He considered an advance by me as likely to open the campaign pre- maturely, and also desired my services in command of the troops be- low, to meet a supposed advance of the enemy from Hudson. I obeyed the order with forebodings of disaster, which were afterwerds most unfortunately realized. As embodying the subsequent history of the campaign of 1862, in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas, I respectfully refer to Colonel Cooper's report of the battle of Newtoniaj a brilliant victory, in which the Indian troops displayed great bravery ; also his report of the battle of Maysville, in which his command was disastrously de- feated. Also my reports of the battle of Prarie Grove, the Van Buren affair, and General Marraaduke's expedition into Missouri ; and the letter of General Holmes, dated January 1st, 1863, including a memoir by me upon these events ; all of which papers are on file in the Adjutant Gen- jral's department. General Holmes assumed command of the trans-Mississippi depart- ment on August 2Uth. My command of the trans- Mississippi district, therefore, continued seventy days. I have already mentioned the most important of my acts in the endeavor to create an army. How far I succeeded may be judged by these facts. In Arkansas there were raised and organized, under my orders, "thirteen regiments and one battalion of infantry, two regiments and one battalion of cavalry, and four batteries, all war troops ; besides upwards of five thousand irregulars, of the " independent compa- nies," and not including the Arkansas troops drawn from the Indian country. From Missouri there were raised and organized, under my orders^ ss seven regiments of cavalry and three "batteries, all war troops, exclu- sive of numerous guerrilla parties remaining in that State. The records of the Adjutant General's department show that there were only twenty-nine Arkansas regiments and six Missouri regiments, infantry and cavalry included, in the Confederate service up to June Ist, 18*62. By my efforts, the number of Arkansas regiments was increased over one-half, and the number of Missouri regiments was trebled, the former being raised to forty-five and the latter to eighteen. In addition, I drew from Texas twenty-one regiments of infantry and dismounted cavalry, four regiments of cavalry and three batte- ries, raising the number of Texan regiments in my district to twenty-eight, with five batteries. It is proper to state that the organization of several regiments of Arkansians and Missourians, above referred to, was not perfected till after General Holmes' arrival, but it was as fully my work as that of the other. It is also true that several of the Texas regiments had not arrived when he assumed command, but they would have come, irrespective of that, under the arrangements already made. The arms that could be obtained in my district were greatly below the number necessary for the troops. General Beauregard sent me three hundred and fifty shot guns and sporting rifles and seven hundred muskets. I endeavored to obtain others by application hero, and also made requisitions for funds, but received nothing whatever from any department of the Government, except money sent to my medical purveyor by the Surgeon General. Since my arrival here, I have been permitted to refer to papers on file in the Adjutant General's department relating to my command and services. I find that my letter of June 9th, 1862, was received on the 27th of the same month, and that it was submitted to and read by the late Secretary of War, Mr. Randolph. It bears an endorse- ment in pencil, signed with his initials, approving a request made in the last paragraph for the appointment of John 11. Crump as quar- termaster. That letter, in its first paragraph, states how I came to be in command of the trans-Mississippi district, and refers to and encloses officially attested copies of the orders of General Beauregard, heretofore embodied in this report, assigning me to that command. Two months after the receipt of that letter, to-wit : on September 6th, having been requested by the lower house of Congress to state by what authority I did certain acts, as commanding general of the trans-Mississippi district, the late Secretary replied as follows: " The department has no official information of the conduct imputed to General Hindman ; but having seen orders, purporting to come from him, declaring martial law and adopting oppressive police regu- lations in Arkansas, General Holmes has been instructed to inquire into it, and, if he found such to be the case, to rescind the declara- tion of martial law and the regulations adopted to carry it into effect. ♦• General Holmes is also instructed as to the mode of executing the conscript act. 24 " General Hindman was not sent to Arkansas by the department, and has never been commanding general of the trans- Mississippi department.''^ The last sentence of the above communication was construed west of the Mississippi river, and probably elsewhere, to mean that, on assuming command of the trans-Mississippi district, I was guilty of imposture and usurpation. It seems to admit of that construction. Appearing as the oflBcial declaration of the Secretary of War, it in- jured me, both as an officer and as a man, not only among citizens, but with the troops serving under me. I could have published the facts and silenced slander at any moment, but was deterred from so doing by self-respect and regard for the usages of the service. I addressed a letter to General Holmes, calling attention to the injus- tice done me, and it was duly forwarded by him, and specially referred to in his accompanying communication, dated October 3, 18'' 2. No answer was ever received. My reputation continued to suffer, and my influence to diminish, under this undeserved blow from the Secretary of War, from which alone the opposition to me derived any weight or respectability. It eventuated in my application to be relieved from duty west of the Mississippi. I think it but just to ask that this report, or so much thereof as will correct the error of the late Secretary, be communicated to Congress, and also that I have leave to publish the same. The length of time and great number of important transactions covered by this report, have extended it far beyond what I could wish. I shall, therefore, be compelled to defer to a supplementary report such mention as I should have been gla4 to make here of the officers to whom I was most indebted for assistance in the labors performed. I have the honor to be. General, Your obedient servant, T. C. HINDMAN, Major General. SUPi^LEMENTAL REPORT. Richmond, June, 29, 1863. To General S, Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General : General : As a report supplementary to the one made by me on the 19th instant, I beg to mention here the ofTiccrs to whom I am most indebted for as3i8tance in the labors performed Avhilc command- ing the trans-Mississippi district. In the enrollment and organization of troops from Missouri, Brig- adier Generals Parsons and McBride ; Colonels Clarke, Payne, Jock- man, Thompson, Porter, McDonald, and Shelly ; Lieutenant Colonels Caldwell, Lewis, and Johnston ; Majors Murray, Musscr, and Pin- dell ; Captains Standish, Buchanan, Cravens, Perry, Quantrell, and Harrison, were especially zealous and useful. In estimating the value of their labors, and of the many other devoted men who assisted them, it is to be considered that, in order to bring out recruits from their States, it was necessary to go within the enemy's lines, taking the risks of detection and punishment as spies, secretly collecting the men in squads and companies, arming, equipping, and subsisting them by stealth, and then moving them rapidly southward, th»'ough a country swarming with Federal soldiers and an organized militia, and whose population could only give assistance at the hazard of confis- cation of property, and even death itself; that they succeeded at all, under such circumstances, is attributable to a courage and fidelity unsurpassed in the history of the war. That they did succeed, b'?yond all expectation, is shown by the fine regiments of Missouri troops now serving in the trans-Mississippi department. In raising troops in Arkansas, Colonel C. A. Carroll was more successful than any other officer, and is entitled to high credit. He was valuably assisted by Colonels W. II. Brooks and W. D. King, Lieut. Cols. Gunter and McCord, Major Dillard, and other.*, and put in the service three full regiments of infantry and one of cavalry. Colonel II. L. Gimstead raised two regiments of infantry. Colonel (now Brigadier General) D. McRae, Colonels J. C. Pleasants, 11. .T. McNeill, C. II. Mattock, each raised a regiment. In raising Arkansas troops, and afterwards in their organization and instructions important services were rendered by the following, among other officers: Colonel (now Brigadier General) J. T. Fagan, Colonels Shaler, Sharer, Morgan, Glenn, and Johnson ; Lieutenant Colonels Gevghagan, Maginnis, Polk, McMillan, Wright, Hart, 26 Yoang, and Crawford ; Majors Bell, Gand, Coke, Baber, Yell, Hicks, Chrisraan, and Crenshaw ; Captaina J. Johnson, Ringo, Martin, Home, Blackmer, and Biscoe. Among so many who were efficient, it is difficult at this date to remember all, and it is probable some are omitted who should be named. In the emergency that existed, it was absolutely necessary, as I have shown in the report to which this is an accompaniment, for me to assume the authority to appoint the field and staff officers. If this had not been done not a regiment would have been raised, and Arkan- sas would have been wholly overrun by the enemy. For this and other assumptions of power, made necessary by the same exigency, I have been much censured by various persons As for myself, 1 do not conceive it necessar 7 13 offer here any vindication other than the state- ment just made. But as to the officers whom I appointed, and by whose labors Arkansas was saved from subjugation, I feel it a duty to urge that recognition and reward which their services merit. It will appear as as trange chapter in the history of this contest that the Confed- erate Congress, by special enactment, legalized the regimental organi- zations made by me, thereby recognizing the n^'ces^ity of my action, and yet subsequently legislated out of office the officers wh ) raised the troops, organized, provided for, and instructed them, and after- wards led them to battle and victory, I am fully persuaded that the legislation just referred to was based upon an imperi'ect kaoivleilge of the facts, and for this reason, with due respect to the legislative authority, I have called attention to it. The services of Brig. Gen. Roane, in Arkansas and Louisiana, have been mentioned in my previous report. In that report I also spe- cially referred to the prompt patriotism with which Brigadier Generals Ilebert, McCulloch, and Nelson, and the officers and men of the various Texan regiments came to my assistance. In the various staff deparments, the officers necessary for the proper working of each were appointed by me, and as a body displayed much zeal and effi- ciency. A list of these appointments was submitted by me to Lieu- tenant General Holmes, and was approved by him and for- warded to Richmond for confirmation. Up to the date when I was relieved from duty west of the Mississippi river, a few of these offi- cers only had been commissioned. The remainder continued to act without commissions and without compensation. None of them are supernumeraries, and every one desires to be appointed. For the benefit of the service and as an act of justice to them, I earnestly hope that commissions will be sent them at an early day. The officers composing my staff performed services greatly exceed- ing the requirements of their several positions and full of the most arduous and exacting labor. In the discharge of office duty and in organizing, instructing, and providing for the troops, they were con- stantly attentive and laborious. On the field they displayed the cour- age and coolness becoming to them. I have the honor to be, very respectfully. Your obedient servant, T. C. HINDMAN, Major General, 5'^.-:^ ^Mc ^2^/ '^ ^^**#^ *fi ^m^ /'-:'!^ ^C: ^ (('C. V- ^r-'^ ^m cS > C<1 ^^ C (C _ ^«;.< >r^r-^'-/ X<\_^s;i ^^a^^^^U^r -V r"x -^ r ?^ ^.y-V r ^- ;^;^-^ J^ 3 ]^y> S:?^*> ^ "AV %Ty :m^..; '. • > :^ ::-^ ^>^ 1^; ■T«v" -^J)