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St. Louis, May. 12 1864
Sir.
It appears to me that Military affairs west the Mississippi river are getting very badly for us & I, therefore, trust you will excuse this letter. I was at Grand Ecore on the 16th of last month, a week after Gen Banks disaster. I conversed with many intelligent officers there, & have conversed with others here at home. And they all agree in opinion that if we want success west of the Mississippi river, this entire section should constitute but one department & be under the command of a competent general. I fully concur on that [illegible]. According to my information the entire rebel force west of the Mississippi river does not exceed forty thousand or fifty thousand men. Our forces are nearly or quite one hundred thousand, divided as follows. Banks has 60.000. Steele2 has 36.000 Rosen Rosecrans has 18.000, & Curtis has from 5000. to 10.000. Banks has been defeated already. Steele is in great danger, while the force in Missouri & Kansas is doing almost nothing. Steele & Rosecrans together can annihilate Price & his forces. Yet if Price is permitted to whip Steele here & then invade Missouri, he may give us great trouble. I do not suggest any one as a competent commander -- You know your officers better than I do, but I am sure the creation of a single department west of the Mississippi river would be to our advantage.
With great Respect
Your obt Svt
Willard P. Hall
Gov of Mo.
