Confederate Correspondence from Assistant Adjutant General R. C. Newton at Camp on Mulberry to Brig. Gen. J. S. Roane

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Civil War Arkansas

November 3 & 4, 1862 – Confederate Correspondence from Assistant Adjutant General R. C. Newton at Camp on Mulberry to Brig. Gen. J. S. Roane

HEADQUARTERS, &c.,
Camp on Mulberry, November 3, 1862.

Brig. Gen. J. S. ROANE, Commanding, &c. :

GENERAL: General Hindman directs that you detach from Brigadier-General Marmaduke's Missouri Cavalry a bold, firm, and discreet officer, with 50 well-armed and well-mounted men, with instructions to go rapidly in quest of Brig. Gen. Albert Pike to Fort McCulloch, Fort Washita, or wherever else he may be, whether in the Indian Territory, Texas, Louisiana, or Arkansas, to take Brigadier-General Pike into personal custody, and conduct him, without delay, to the headquarters of Maj. Gen. T. H. Holmes, commanding the Trans-Mississippi Department, at Little Rock, Ark. Instruct the officer in command of the detachment that he is to treat Brigadier-General Pike with as much courtesy as the due execution of this order will allow; but that he is to execute the order to the letter, using all necessary force, even to the extent of taking life, should resistance be offered. Instruct him further that he is to keep his instructions secret from all persons, until the moment for executing <ar19_981> them shall arrive. A light wagon, carrying breadstuffs for twenty days, should go with the detachment. An order for an additional supply at Fort Washita is inclosed; also an order on Major Haynes for forage money, and on Captain Lear for ammunition.

Respectfully,

R. C. NEWTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS, &c.,
Camp on Mulberry, November 4,1862.

[General ROANE :]

GENERAL: If the officer has started with his party to execute the order of yesterday for the arrest of Brigadier-General Pike, you will send a courier to overtake and stop him. You will send a competent and reliable field officer, one who is brave and determined, and who will execute your orders faithfully, with an additional detail of 200 select men, well armed and mounted, and give him the instructions contained in the letter to you from these headquarters of yesterday, a copy of which is herein inclosed, to be given him for his governance. He should take at least 30 rounds of ammunition. He should provide himself with good guides, and should send out scouts rapidly in advance of him to discover and report to him where Brigadier-General Pike may be found, but without making the object known. I inclose orders to be sent to Major Haynes, Captain Lear, and Captain Mayers, to provide for the increase in the number of the party you are to send.

Respectfully,

R. C. NEWTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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