——­ “Pickett Papers.”

State papers of the Southern Confederacy now lodged in the Library of Congress.  Had Pike continued to prosecute his mission under the auspices of the State Department, these papers would undoubtedly have contained much of value for the present work, but as it is they yield only an occasional document and that of very incidental importance.  The papers used were found in packages 81, 86, 88, 93, 95, 106, 107, 109, 113, 118.  The “Pickett Papers” were originally in the hands of Secretary Benjamin.  After coming into the possession of the United States government, they were at first confided to the care of the Treasury Department and were handed over later, by direction of the president, to the Library of Congress.  The fact of their being in the charge of the Treasury Department explains the circumstance of its possession of the original treaty made by Pike with the Comanches, and the fact that that manuscript turned up long after the main body of “Pickett Papers” had been transferred to the Congressional Library suggests the possibility that detached Confederate records may yet repose in the recesses of the Treasury archives.  Between the dates of their consignment and their transfer, they must have become to some degree disintegrated.  The War Department borrowed some of the Pickett Papers for inclusion in the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.

——­ Records, or Archives.

Among these, which are to-day in the War Department in charge of the
Chief Clerk of the Adjutant-general’s Office, are the following: 

Chap. 2, no. 258, Letter Book, Brig.  Gen. D.H.  Cooper, C.S.A., Ex officio Indian Agent, etc., May 10-27, 1865 (File Mark, W. 236).

It is a mere fragment.  Its wrapper bears the following endorsement: 
War Department, Archive Office, Chap. 2, No. 258.

Chap. 2, no. 270, Letter Book, Col. and Brig.  Gen. Win.  Steele’s command.

The contents are,

a.  A few letters dealing with Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, March to July, 1862, pp. 7-22.  These letters emanated from the

authority of William Steele, Colonel of the Seventh Regiment of Texas Mounted Volunteers.

b.  Letters dealing with matters in the Department of Indian Territory, January 8, 1863 to May 18, 1863, pp. 27-254.  Pages 1-6, 23-26, and 47 and 48 are missing.

The list of the whole, as given, is,

Letters Sent—­Col. and Brig.  Gen. Wm. Steele’s command—­Mch. 7, 1862 to May 18, 1863, viz.,

1. 7th Regt Texas M. Vols.  Mch. 7 to June 20/62

2.  Dept.  New Mexico, June 24/62

3.  Forces of Arizona, July 12, 1862.

4.  Dept of Indian Territory, Jan. 8-12, 1863

5. 1st Div. 1st.  Corps Trans-Miss.  Dept., Jan. 13-20, 1863.

6.  Dept. of Indian Territory, Jan. 21 to May 18, 1863.

Chap. 2, no. 268, Letters Sent, Department of Indian Territory, from
May 19, 1863 to September 27, 1863.