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12 285 Hd. Qrs. Dept. of Texas,

                                                          San Antonio, Tex., April 5, 1872.

HATCH Major John P. Hatch, 4" Cavy. Commanding Fort Concha, Texas

Major,

            I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of march 30th, Enclosing Sergt. Wilson's report of his very creditable affair with the horse-stealers, which I have noticed in Orders, and the statement of the captured New Mexican.  This man is a citizen of the United States, captured while making war against the Government therof.  No one can make promises of pardon and Exception from punishment, for such offences, but the President.
    All we can do, is to promise our good offices in his case, should he be thought to deserve them.  I do not think you should have made him any promises without authority, as they will not, in all probability, be held to be valid.   The President may however, in view of valuable information and services, deem it proper to grant him pardon, but certainly not, until he has Earned it.
    I wish you to have an Itinerary constructed from Alamo Gorda on the Pecos to Fort Concho on the route followed by this man - from information that you are able to Extract from him - giving waterholes and streams and grass, with distances between the location of Indians &c. &c., and forward to me as soon as completed.  I wish you to send out a Company of Cavalry, for a hundred miles or more, to verify his statement, and to see if the trail, which ought to be distinct, can be found, where all these Cattle were driven off.  Do not by any chance permit the prisoner to Escape.  I hope we may have much further use for him.
                                                  Very respectfully
                                                     Your obedtt. servant
                                                 (Sgd.)  C. C. Augur
                                                             Brigadier General, U.S.A.

179.181.D. T.'72 Commanding _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________