by the floods of
certificates they" issued and not "to restrict officers acting under"
Pike's orders.[414] All very well, but Pearce had other ideas as to
the functions of his office and lost no time in apprising various
people of them. His notes[415] to Pike's officers were most
impertinently prompt. They were sent out on the twenty-fourth of June
and on the twenty-sixth Pike reported[416] the whole history of his
economic embarrassments to the Secretary of War.[417]

[Footnote 413: _Official Records_, vol. xiii, 967.]

[Footnote 414:--Ibid., 946.]

[Footnote 415:--Ibid., 968, 968-969, 969.]

[Footnote 416:--Ibid., 841-844.]

[Footnote 417: George W. Randolph.]

His indignation must have been immense; but whether righteously so or
not, it was for others higher up to decide. That Pike had some sort of
a case against the men in Arkansas there can be no question. The tale
he told Secretary Randolph was a revelation such as would have put
ordinary men, if involved at all, to deepest shame. Hindman, perforce,
was the victim of accumulated resentment; for he, personally, had
done only a small part of that of which Pike complained. In the main,
Pike's report simply furnished particulars in matters, such as the
despoiling him of his hard-won supplies, of which mention has already
been made; and his chief accusation was little more than hinted at,
the gist of it being suggested in some of his concluding sentences:

... I struggled for a good while before I got rid of the curse of
dependence for subsistence, transportation, and forage on officers
at Fort Smith. I cannot even get from that place the supplies I
provide myself and hardly my own private stores. My department
quartermaster and commissary are fully competent to purchase what
we need, and I mean they shall do it. I have set my face against
all rascality and swindling and keep contractors in wholesome
fear, and have made it publicly known by advertisement that I
prefer to purchase of the farmer and producer and do not want any
contractors interposed between me and them. My own officers will
continue to purchase subsistence, transportation, forage, and
whatever else I need until I am ordered to the contrary by you,
and when that order comes it will be answered by my resignation.
Mr. White's[418] contract will not be acted under here. I have
beef enough on hand and engaged, and do not want any from him. I