Major Elias Rector, Superintendent of Indian Affairs,
Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Sir: The first session of the Congress of the Confederate States will be held on the 18th February next; and it is important that the Report, from this Bureau, in regard to Indian Affairs, for the benefit of that Body, should be as full as possible. That this may be so, it is essential that information should be sent here, at least by the 15th of that month, of the true condition of affairs, in each of the several Agencies under your supervision.
You will, therefore, write to all of the Agents, and state to them these facts. Advise them also to give you full reports of all matters connected with their respective charges, and forward them, when received to this office. Very respectfully,
S. S. Scott, Act’g Commr. of Ind. Affairs.
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,