HEADQUARTERS,
Cassville, June 3, 1865.

Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. B. SANBORN:

SIR:  Yesterday I came back from a five days’ scout through the northern part of Arkansas.  According to your orders I made efforts to accomplish a meeting with the leading Confederate officers in said part of the country.  Finding Colonel Coffee was nowhere near, I communicated with Maj. J. W. Cooper, Indian Brigade, in sending him your instructions to me from May 17 last, and requested him (Cooper) to surrender under the terms named therein.  His answer you will please find in copy No. 1.  I then directed to him what you will see in No. 2, and at about 2 p. m. on the 30th of May last I, in presence of Capt. Ph. Rohrer and two lieutenants, met Major Cooper, and came after an hour’s talk to the following agreement:  Cooper would not surrender until caught, or ordered to do so by his superiors, but cease all hostilities against our party, and, furthermore, help us all he can in keeping down stealing, &c.  I agreed to this, provided it meets your approbation, and with the clear understanding that this quasi armistice would be at an end whenever he did not come up fully with his promise.  To explain to you why I wrote to Cooper twice, I would say it was pretty troublesome to get him to come.  After long private conversations with some of Cooper’s friends I was bound, in order to see him, to pledge myself of his safe coming and going whether he would surrender or not.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES M. MOORE,
Major Third Battalion, Fifteenth Missouri Volunteer Cavalry

[Inclosure No. 1.]

HEADQUARTERS COOPER’S BATTALION,
On the Range, May 30, 1865.

Maj. JAMES M. MOORE:

I have the honor of receiving your communication of to-day.  As for surrendering, I do not think that I am under any compulsion to justify an honorable surrender, and shall not until I am ordered by my commander.  Desiring to go to my command, I am willing to meet you in order to prevent depredations on citizens; I am willing to cease hostilities.

Respectfully, your most obedient servant,

JAMES W. COOPER,
Major, Commanding Cooper’s Battalion, First Indian Brigade,
District of Indian Territory, C. S. Army

[Inclosure No. 2.]

BERRYVILLE, ARK., May 30, 1865.

Maj. JAMES W. COOPER:

SIR:  Yours of the 29th instant is at hand, and in reply I would say my main object in addressing my last to you was to cause hostilities to cease on peaceable citizens in this country.  It is not in the least my intention to seek any ungentlemanly advantage of you.  My directions from headquarters are simply such as you saw yesterday.  I sincerely wish to see you before to-night, and you can rest assured at the end of our conference that you can go safe to any place you wish, no matter if you surrender or not.  The bearer of this, Henry Woods, will specify time and place where our meeting shall take effect.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES M. MOORE,
Major, Commanding U. S. Forces

SOURCE:  OR, Series I, Volume 48 (Part II), Pages 758-759.

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