The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 13. Page: 27
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wrote him that if this report was true I supposed I must give up the
long-promised diversion, as his force must then be too weak, and urged
upon him to co-operate with me in some other way. I also telegraphed
and wrote to General Halleck, suggesting in what way General Steele
might co-operate with me if not strong enough to move on Little Rock.
At length the delay had been so great that I feared, and with good
reason, that it was too late, and so stated to General Steele and to
yourself.
The next thing to be done there was to place General Steele where
he could be made strong enough to move as desired and at the same
time protect Pilot Knob and Rolla, as I state substantially in my re-
port, and not "but to place him in condition to move," &c., as you
seem to have read it.
I have not a copy of my report here, but my memory, I believe, can-
not be at fault in this particular. My suggestion was to bring General
Steele's force to Cape Girardeau and thence across the country to
strike the force threatening Pilot Knob and Rolla. He could then
have been re-enforced by what troops I had at and could send to those
places, and thus be made strong enough to move at once into Eastern
Arkansas, while I, with the troops at Springfield and Fort Scott should
move into Western Arkansas, securing possession of the Arkansas
River, at least from Little Rock to Fort Smith. It is notfor me to judge
whether it was wise under the circumstances to divide General Steele's
command into two parts, each too weak to make any aggressive move-
ment, and thus continue the defensive policy of which I had been so
long complaining. But I have no hesitation in saying that I would
have called out all the militia of Missouri to defend Pilot Knob and
Rolla before I would have ordered such a division of the force at
Helena.
Aside from the expense of transporting the troops from and to Helena,
I also "do not perceive any material damage growing out of it," ex-
cepting the failure to push our forces into the Arkansas Valley during
the only season favorable to military operations over long overland
lines.
If, as I understand you to maintain, the movement into Eastern Ar-
kansas was impracticable at that time, the delay was unavoidable. If,
on the contrary, as held by General Halleck and General Steele, the
move was practicable, we have lost several months of the best season
of the year by the division of General Steele's command. As this divis-
ion was essentially different from anything I suggested, whether wise
or unwise, it is not just to quote me as authority for it.
The regiments which I speak of in my report as having been detained
in Rolla were the Thirty-third Missouri and the Twenty-first and
Twenty-second Iowa. As they had not joined me (and have not up to
the present time), I had a right to presume that they were "detained"
by your orders. I did not speak of that detention to complain of it, for
the Kansas Division having been placed under my command made me
strong enough for the time being, but to show that the force at and
near Rolla was sufficient for its defense.
While I do not see the propriety of discussing in my report the pre-
priety of the movement of General Steele, or of sending with it all the
papers bearing on the question, I am perfectly willing that it should be
accompanied by any paper which you may think proper to write explana-
tory of your action in the matters to which I have alluded. If you will
furnish me with a copy of your explanation and of the accompanying
documents I will cheerfully send it to Colonel Kelton, with the request27
C~a . XXV.]
GENERAL REPORTS, ETC.
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 13., book, 1885; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154621/m1/35/?q=Hindman: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.