have had to buy bacon at 20 to 26 cents, and he ought to be made
to pay every cent of the difference between that price and fifteen
cents. I also strenuously object to receiving mules or anything
else purchased at Fort Smith.

[Footnote 418: "George E. White, formerly a partner, I believe, of
Senator Oldham of Texas..."--_Official Records_, vol. xiii, 842.]

I could get up a mule factory now with the skeletons I have,
and there are a few miles from here 600 or 800 sent up by Major
Clark[419] in even a worse plight.

I know nothing about Major Pearce as a quartermaster nor of
any right Major-General Hindman has to make him one. He is an
assistant commissary of subsistence, with the rank of major, and
Major Quesenbury, my brigade or department quartermaster, is major
by an older commission....

While I am here there will be no fine contracts for mules, hay,
keeping of mules, beef on the hoof at long figures, or anything of
the kind. Fort Smith is very indignant at this, and out of this
grief grows the anxious desire of many patriots to see me resign
the command of this country or be removed....[420]

Subsequent communications[421] from Pike to Randolph reported the
continued despoiling of his command and the persistent infringement of
Pearce upon his authority, in consequence of which, the Indians were
suffering from lack of forage, medicines, clothing, and food.[422]
Pearce, in his turn, reported[423] to Hindman Pike's obstinacy and
intractability and he even cast insinuations against his honesty. Pike
was openly defying the man who claimed to be his superior officer,
Hindman. He was resisting his authority at every turn and had already
boldly declared,[424] with special reference to Clarkson, of course,
that

No officer of the Missouri State Guard, whatever his rank, unless
he has a command adequate to his rank, can ever exercise or assume
any military authority in the Indian country, and much less assume
command of any Confederate troops or

[Footnote 419: George W. Clark, _Official Records_, vol. xiii.]

[Footnote 420: For an equally vigorous statement on this score, see
Pike to Randolph, June 30, 1862 [Ibid., 849].]

[Footnote 421:--Ibid., 846-847, 848-849, 850-851, 852.]

[Footnote 422: Chilly McIntosh to Pike, June 9, 1862, Ibid.,
853; Pike to Chilly McIntosh, July 6, 1862, Ibid., 853-854.]

[Footnote 423: July 5, 186