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of that Officer.

On the receipt of the first papers refered to me I requested Maj. Genl. Reynolds to order Genl. Hunt at Ft. Smith to send a sufficient escort into the Teritory with the Negroes who desired to visit their families who were still held as slaves by the Indians - this request was at once granted - I directed Chaplain Springer to select a few of the most reliable and worthy Negroes who had taken refuge at Ft Smith to accompany the escort and visit their families and to take such measures as humanity would permit to prevent a large influx of the Negroes from the Teritory into Ft Smith hoping their freedom would soon be guaranteed to them by the Government where they were.

Bt. Maj Genl.Sanford called on me as he was passing to the Indian Teritory