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Confederate States of America, War Department

Office of Indian Affairs, Richmond, Jany. 1st, 1862.

Major Elias Rector, Superintendent of Indian Affairs,

Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Sir: An Act was recently passed by the Congress of the Confederate States, and approved December 26th, 1861, “making appropriations to comply, in part, with Treaty stipulations made with certain Indian Tribes.” The whole amount appropriated by this Act was six hundred and eighty one thousand, eight hundred and sixty nine dollars, and fifteen cents.

By sundry requisitions of the Secretary of War upon the Secretary of the Treasury, this sum has been placed in the hands of General Albert Pike, for delivery to you, as Superintendent of Indian Affairs.

Herewith you will receive Tabular Statements, marked Numbers (1) and (2) for your information and guidance, as to the times manner, &c., that this money is to be disbursed.

You will perceive from these statements, that one hundred and nineteen thousand, three hundred and forty dollars can be used, for the purposes indicated immediately, or, whenever, it may be deemed essential by you; while the residue, amounting to five hundred and sixty two thousand, five hundred and twenty nine dollars and fifteen cents, is dependent, for its dusbursement, upon the ratification of the Treaties, as amended by the several Indian Tribes. Very respectfully,

S. S. Scott, Act’g Commr. of Indian Affairs.

Treasury Department, C. S. A., Second Auditor’s Office,

Richmond, Va. Dec 31st 1861.

Sir—The Treasurer of the Confederate States will remit to you the sum of six hundred and eighty one thousand, eight hundred & sixty nine 15/100 dollars—, being the amount of Requisitions Nos. 2175-76-77-78-79-80-81-82-83 & 84 issued in your favor on the 20th Instant—, with which you are charged on the Books of this Office, on account of the following Appropriation, to wit:

“An Act making Appropriations to comply in part with Treaty Stipulations made with certain Indian Tribes,” as per Act

Requisition	No.	2175	For	Contingencies of superintending & Agencies		$ 3,500.00
Do	"	2176	"	Sundry	Appropriations	for	Cherokee Indians		237,944.36
"	"	2177	"	Do	Do	"	Seminole Indians		61,050.00
"	"	2178	"	"	"	"	Choctaw & Chickasaws		115,126.89
"	"	2179	"	"	"	"	Creek Indians		72,950.00
"	"	2180	"	"	"	"	Comanches		64,862.00
"	"	2181	"	"	"	"	Reserve Indians		82,905.00
"	"	2182	"	"	"	"	Seneca Indians		11,962.46
"	"	2183	"	"	"	"	Quapaw Indians		9,000.00
"	"	2184	"	"	"	"	Osage Indians		22,568.44
	Total		$681,869.15

The Treasurer will advise you when the same has been placed to your credit on his Books, or hand you a Draft—for which you will please forward a Receipt to this Office, specifying therein the date, number and amount of said Requisition. I am, very respectfully, your ob’t serv’t,

W. H. S. Taylor, Auditor.

To Genl Albert Pike, Agent for the War Department for delivery of the above funds to Elias Rector, Supt. Ind. Affairs, now in Richmond, Va.

Confederate States of America, Treasurer’s Office,

Richmond, Va., Jan^y 23

Elias Rector, Fort Smith, Ark.

Sir, I have this day placed to your credit 3,000 Dollars, amount of Warrant No. 23 Issued in your favor by War Department. Your checks on the Treasurer of the Confederate States will be honoured for that amount. Please acknowledge the receipt of this Notification, and enclose your official signature. Very Respectfully,

E. C. Elmore, Treasurer C. S.

Confederate States of America, War Department,

Office of Indian Affairs, Richmond Jany 23d 1862.

Maj. E. Rector, Superintendent &c., Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Sir: General Pike of date Dec. 30th 1861, writes to this Bureau, as follows:

In order to obtain the ratification, by the several Indian Tribes, of the amendments made by Congress to the Indian Treaties negotiated by me, and to effect a Treaty with the Caiowas, I have sent messages to the Creeks, Seminoles, Cherokees, Choctaws and Chickasaws, requesting that their national Councils may be convened; and to the Chiefs of the Osages, Quapaws, Senecas, Senecas and Shawnes, Comanches, Reserve Indians and Caiowas, requesting them to meet me at my head Quarters.

It will be necessary to furnish provisions to the Creek and Seminole Councils, and to feed the more uncivilized Chiefs, while in Council, and on their return, and also perhaps to make some presents; for which purposes no funds are in the hands of the Superintendent or myself.

In accordance with these suggestions and at the request of this Bureau a requisition was drawn by the Secretary of War, a few days ago, for the sum of three thousand dollars, which is to be placed to your credit in the Treasury.

You will please use this money, or so much of it, as may be necessary, for the purposes, and in the manner, above indicated. Very respectfully,

S. S. Scott, Act’g Commr. of Ind. Affairs.

Little Rock, Ark., 28th January, 1862.

Dear Rector: I will leave here on Friday morning. It will take me, I suppose, six days to reach Fort Smith with the money. This will bring me to the 5th, 6th or 7th of February.

I have $265.927.50 in specie, all in gold except $65.000 in silver. Of course I must stay with it. I think I can make the journey, though in six days.

I think you had better go up to my head Quarters immediately, and arrange to feed the Comanches and others if they come there; and keep them there until I reach the place. I can take the money there, and send by the same messenger who takes this, to Colonel Cooper for an escort.

The Treasurer of the Choctaws means to sell the coin his people get, buy Confederate paper, and put the difference in his pocket. We must stop that. I think the best way will be for you to notify the Chief, Hudson, the amount to be paid in coin, and that you will pay it to the Treasurer only in the presence of three Commissioners appointed by himself.

If you can pay the Choctaws and Chickasaws at my Head Quarters, it will of course be much better.

I have had to ask the immediate removal of Leeper, and the appointment of Col. Pulliam in his place. This I have done to-day, sending extracts from your letter, Charley Johnson’s and Quesenbury’s.

The Secretary is also advised, now, of Garrett’s continual [illegible].

Why do you not demand his removal, and name a person for his place?

I don’t believe Col. Cooper will be removed. The President said in my presence, “Now that the Choctaws have a Delegate in Congress, what need of an Agent?”

About 150 gamblers are here, following up the Indian moneys. I enclose an order requiring passports, that will keep them out of the Nation.

I have the $150.000 advance for the Cherokees, the $12.000 due the Nation, and the $10.300 due the Treaty party or Stand Wade’s,—all in paper. Also the $50.000 advance for the Choctaws. In paper and specie, I have for you $631.000 and over.

Have you received the money, (some $3.000) that I asked should be sent you to pay expenses of the new Indian Councils?

If you cannot go to Head Quarters immediately, you will have to send some one, and let him and Colonel Cooper keep the Indians contented. Always yours,

Albert Pike.

Maj. E. Rector.

Office Supt. Ind. Affairs, Fort Smith, Feby 1st, 1862.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith the Reports of Agents Leeper, Cooper, Rutherford and Crawford. No report has been received from Agent Dorn.

Business of importance requires me to leave here to-day for Fort Gibson and the Creek Agency, it is important for me to take charge of the public property at the Creek Agency which I shall do on my arrival there and I will turn the same over to R P Pulliam who I have appointed Agent to act until the Department may make a permanent appointment and I hope Mr Pulliam may be the person appointed. I have also appointed to meet a delegation of Comanches and Kiawas at Fort Gibson where I expect Genl Pike and myself will effect treaties with them. I have sent a lot of goods to make some presents to them and to the wild bands with whom Genl Pike made treaties last fall and to whom he promised some goods; after meeting these delegation and ascertaining what can be effected with them I will make out and forward to you a report of Indian matters generally in this superintendency which I hope will reach you in time to be of some service to the Department. I could not, until after I meet those Indians and ascertain the condition of the Creek Agency, make a full and satisfactory report.

In regard to Agent Crawfords report I must here state, that from the best information I can obtain of the condition of affairs among the Cherokees, I cannot concur with him, but I will inform myself fully in this regard during my present visit among them and will furnish my views fully in my report, Very Respectfully Your Obt. Servt.

E. Rector, Supt. Ind. Affairs

S. S. Scott Esq Acting Comr. Ind. Affairs

Richmond, Va

Office Supt Ind Affair, Fort Smith Feby 1st 1862

Sir: Genl. Pike is here with $50.000 Dollars in Gold and Silver for the Choctaws, and as I am compelled to accompany him on important business to Fort Gibson, I have determined to take the above money with me to that place and pay it out there, which will be as convenent for you as to pay it here, and as Col Cooper will have to be present at the payment, it is necessary to make the payment when he can attend. I will be ready to pay over to your Treasurer the above money at Fort Gibson in days from this date, and I wish you to send with your Treasurer a delegation of three responsible persons to be selected by you to witness the payment. This I require, as it is a special case with our government to pay out Coins to the Indian tribes at this time, and to insure the payment by the Treasurer of the same funds to your people, that he receives from me. Our government is determined to use all precautions to prevent speculations out of the funds sent out to pay to Indian tribes. Very Respectfully Your Obt Servt.

E. Rector, Supt Ind Affrs

Hon Hudson, Chief Choctaw Nation.

Confederate States of America, War Department

Office of Indian Affairs, Richmond, Feby 7th 1862.

Major E. Rector, Superintendent of Ind. Affairs.

Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Sir: Your two letters, dated January 9th & 10th, have been received. The former gave a brief statement of the facts, in relation to the arrest, by Agent Leeper, of one Meyer, supposed to be a spy, with $6.455.70, in Drafts and Specie upon his person, and enclosed copies of letters from Messrs Leeper and Shirley, bearing upon same subject. The latter simply covered the Affidavit of a Mr. Barnes, claiming the Drafts referred to, followed by affidavits of Meyer and one Jacob Mariner intended to substantiate it.

The questions presented in this case should properly be investigated by Brig. Genl. Pike, who has command of the Department of the Indian Territory, where this person was arrested; and a letter has therefore been written to him from this Bureau, for the purpose of calling his attention to the fact.

You will take the necessary steps to have the man Meyer turned over to him. Very respectfully,

S. S. Scott, Act’g Comr. of Ind. Affairs.

Fort Smith, 16th Feby 1862

Elias Rector Esq, Superintendent of Ind. Affairs

Sir: As to the case of Fredrick Meyer, arrested as a spy, there is nothing beyond suspicion against him, except his possession of certain drafts drawn by a U. S. Quartermaster on the Assistant Treasurer at New York, and the Statements of Comanche Indians, who are not competent witnesses.

I decline to place him in custody as a spy or to order a Miltary Court to try him. I cannot order his discharge or the return of the drafts and money taken from him, because the Military power is silent, within the limits of Arkansas, in the presence of the Court power, as to reports that may be asserted and remedies that may be pursued, in the Courts. If I had the power, I should make the order.

If you continue to hold the property in question, or to detain the party, you will please consider that you do it on your own authority. I am very respectfully yours,

Albert Pike, Brig. Genl. Commr. Ind. Dept.

Mouth of Canadian, 23d Febr. 1862.

Major: I reached this place last night, and leave this morning. The teams furnished me at Fort Smith are hardly able to go further, and our progress must be slow. I shall hardly reach Spaniard’s Creek before tomorrow night, and wish you to meet me there. I did think of sending the money, at least the specie, direct from this point to North Fork, but have determined to keep it with me until I meet you. If you will meet me at Spaniard’s Creek, we can then determine what disposition to make of it.

Gen. Price is at Walnut Grove, eight miles south of Fayetteville; will take position near Cane Hill, and means to attack as soon as he gets 5,000. men in addition to his present force. McCulloch is on the telegraph road, to his right. They are not acting in harmony, Col. Gatewood says.

Our forces in Kentucky and Tennesse have had to fall back before 70,000 of the enemy. The new position, it is expected, will be at Stevenson and Charleston road. When the enemy took Fort Donelson, both Bowling Green and Columbus became of value to us. Each position was carried. But we have only taken a new position, losing no battle. The fort surrendered. Columbus is or will be evacuated and Nashville surrendered.

There are no means of crossing the Arkansas here, except one boat, that must have a bottom put in it. I must bring at least part of the Choctaws to Gibson, to cross the river and move towards Cane Hill, and in order to be able to do it as soon as possible I wish to turn over the money to you. Truly yours

Albert Pike

Major Elias Rector.

Office Supt Ind. Aff’rs, Fort Smith, Feb’y 28th, 1862.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 23d ultimo notifying me that the sum of $3,000—had been placed to my credit in the Treasury on Requisition No. 23 from the War Department subject to my Draft and request my official signature which is hereto affixed. Very Respectfully your Ob’t Serv’t.

E. Rector, Sup’t Ind. Aff’rs.

E. C. Elmore Esq., Treasurer of the Confederate States

Richmond, Va.

Office Sup’t Ind. Affairs, Fort Smith, Feb’y 28th, 1862.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of Jany 1st accompanying Tabular Statements sent out by Gen’l Pike. On his arrival here I was absent in the Indian Country where I had been ordered by him to meet a Delegation of wild Comanches and Kiawas. Genl P— did not leave the money here to be paid over to me but tuck it in the Indian Country to his head quarters, where he will I presume pay it out to the Indians himself. Very Respectfully, your ob’t Serv’t.

E. Rector, Sup’t Ind Affairs.

S. S. Scott Esq. Acting Com’r Ind. Affairs, Richmond, Va.

[Rector to Scott]

Office Supt Ind. Affairs, March 4th, 1862.

Sir: I deem it my duty, in justice to myself, as well as my duty to the government to notify you that Gen’l Pike has been paying over certain of the funds sent out by him to the Indians, one payment which he has made, I wish here to enter my protest against as not meeting with my approbation, it was in paying over to Agent A. J. Dorn the specie sent out for the Indians in his Agency. My objections to said payment are these: Agent Dorn has never executed a Bond to the Confederate government for the faithful accounting for of funds placed in his hands, and I should certainly not turn over large amounts of government funds to any Agent in my Department until he first gave a good and sufficient Bond and next; the Agency which Mr. Dorn fills is in the limits of the State of Kansas and has been in the possession of the Federals for six or seven months, Dorn cannot even get to it, he has no fixed locality for his Agency sometimes he is with the army, at others in the State and is now here at this place and has with him the money.

I am clearly of the opinion that this money should have been kept in some safe place in this State until after our present troubles are over. The Federal army is now invading within fifty miles of this place and between him and the Indians for whom Dorn is Agent, which makes it impossible for him to pay it to them if he so intends.

None of the Agents in this Superintendency have entered into Bond. Nor do I know whether they intend to do so except Agent Rutherford he came here from his Agency a few days since for the purpose of giving his Bond but is now on a bead of sickness from which it is doubtful if he ever recovers....

Elias Rector.589