is believed they will all recover. All my officers and men behaved admirably. The next day I established a small fort near the battleground, and left my wounded there, in charge of a company of infantry with two pieces of artillery, with orders to proceed to the wagon train, at the lower crossing of the south fork of the Platte, on the 20th instant, if I did not return before that time. On the 31st ultimo I started again in pursuit, and at fourteen miles I came upon their principal town. The people had all fled; there were one hundred and seventy-one lodges standing, and about as many more that had been hastily taken down, and there was a large amount of Indian property of all kinds of great value to them. I had everything destroyed, and continued the pursuit. I trailed them to within forty miles of this place, when they scattered in all directions. Believing they would reassemble on this river, (for there are no buffalo in their country this summer on which they can subsist,) I have come here hoping to intercept them and to protect this road. I was obliged to send my wagon train back to Laramie from near Fort St. Vrain, and to take pack-mules. My supplies have been exhausted for some time, except fresh beef, and I have beef only for twenty-four days. I shall send an express to Fort Leavenworth to have supplies pushed out to me as soon as possible, for I do not think these Indians have been sufficiently punished for the barbarous outrages they have recently committed. The battalion of the 6th infantry, under Captain Ketchum, belonging to my command, has had a long and arduous march. It is matter of deep regret to them, as it is to myself, that I could not wait to bring them into the action. As I have no supplies with which I can send these troops back to Laramie, I must take them to Fort Leavenworth; and if they are to re.urn to Laramie this fall, I would respectfully ask for authority to send them up in a light train. I have the pleasure to report, what I know will give the lieutenant general commanding the army the highest satisfaction, that in these: operations not a woman nor a child has been hurt. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. V. SUMNER, Colonel 1st Cavalry, Commanding Expedition. The ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL, Headquarters of the Army, New York, N. Y. HEADQUARTERS CHEYENNE EXPEDITION, Arkansas river, one march below Fort Atkinson, Aug. 11, 1857. SIR: I have received authentic information from the mail party to-day that the agent for the Cheyennes has gone up to Bent's Fort with the yearly presents for that tribe, and that he has been informed by them that they would not come to receive their presents in the usual way, but that he should never carry the goods out of the country. Under these circumstances, I consider the agent and the public property in his charge in jeopardy. I have therefore decided to proceed at once to Bent's Fort with the elite of my cavalry, in the hope Vol. ii-7 that I may find the Cheyennes collected in that vicinity, and, by another blow, force them to sue for peace; at all events, this movement will secure this agent and the public property. Another motive is, that by this march up the river I shall more effectually cover this road from Indian depredations this summer. I have directed Captain Ketchum, with his battalion and a part of the cavalry, to proceed, by easy marches, to Walnut creek, and there await my return. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL, E. V. SUMNER, Colonel 1st Cavalry, Commanding. Headquarters of the Army, New York City. HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY, Fort Leavenworth, K. T., September 20, 1857. SIR: I have the honor to submit a report of my operations during the past summer, or rather a brief recapitulation of the reports already forwarded. I detached Major Sedgwick, with four companies of cavalry, from this post on the 18th of May, to move by the Arkansas river, and to meet me on the south fork of the Platte on the 4th of July. I marched, with two companies of cavalry, on the 20th of May for Fort Kearney, where, in compliance with orders, I took up two companies of the 2d dragoons stationed at that post, and moved on towards Fort Laramie. When about eighty miles from the latter post, I received an order to leave the two companies of dragoons at Fort Kearney for General Harney's expedition to Utah. As they were then so near Fort Laramie, instead of sending them back to Fort Kearney, to march over the same ground three times, I took them to Fort Laramie, and left them there; which, I trust, was approved by the general commanding the army. On the 27th of June I moved south from Fort Laramie with two companies of cavalry and three companies of the sixth infantry. On the 4th of July I reached the south fork of the Platte, and should have formed a junction with Major Sedgewick on that day, but the river was entirely impassable. On the next day I attempted to establish a ferry with the metallic wagon beds, but found them entirely useless, and was obliged to abandon it. The two commands then moved down the river until I found a ford, and I then brought Major Sedgwick's command over to my camp. It was my intention to establish a larger camp somewhere in that vicinity, and form two columns for the pursuit of the Indians; but hearing they would be in force, and would resist, I determined to abandon my wagons, train, tents, and all other incumbrances, and proceed with my whole command in pursuit of the Indians. The train was sent back to Fort Laramie, with orders to meet me a the lower crossing of the south fork of the Platte in twenty days; but in pursuing the Indians, I was drawn across the country to the Arkansas river, and we had nothing but fresh beef to subsist upon for some time. I found the trail of the Indians on the 24th of July, and on the 29th came upon them, as already reported; which report narrates the battle, the destruction of the town, and the pursuit through to the Arkansas. On arriving there, I found the agent for the Cheyennes had taken to Bent's Fort the annual presents for that tribe, including arms and ammunition. I knew the government could never intend to send an expedition against a tribe of Indians, and at the same time give them arms and ammunition. I therefore determined to proceed at once to Bent's Fort to prevent the Indians from getting this property, especially as they had threatened that it should not be taken out of the country. I had also a hope of finding the Indians collected again in that vicinity. I trust my reports in relation to this matter were satisfactory to the commanding general, and that he endorsed them to that effect, for without his approval the measures that I felt bound to take may involve me in difficulty with the Department of the Interior. On my arrival at Walnut creek, I received the order to break up the expedition, and to detach four companies of cavalry and three of infantry for the expedition to Utah. I immediately put the detachment in as good order as possible, by stripping the two companies which were to return to this post, and directed Major Sedgwick to proceed across the country to Fort Kearney, on his route to Utah. We had then marched sixteen hundred miles, and, although this order was entirely unexpected, and the men and horses were much worn down, not a man deserted, when they could easily have made their escape by taking the best of the horses. The conduct of my command throughout the summer has been all I could wish; the officers and men have not only shown bravery in action, but they have shown the higher quality of a manly and cheerful endurance of privations. Six days after I detached Major Sedgwick, as I was returning to this post with the two remaining companies, I was very happy to receive the countermand of the order for Utah. I arrived at this post on the 16th instant, after marching over eighteen hundred and fifty miles. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Headquarters of the Army, New York City. ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, GENERAL: In transmitting to you "special order" No. 62, of this date, assigning you to duty according to your brevet rank, and to the command of the troops designated for service in the Territory of Kansas, I am directed by the Secretary of War to say that you will be strictly governed by the instructions of the department, as conveyed in the letters addressed from this office April 1 and April 28, 1857, to the commanding general of the department of the west and the commanding officer at Fort Leavenworth, copies of which are herewith enclosed. The Secretary especially orders that no portion of the force subject to your authority be used for the removal of intruders from the Indian lands in Kansas, under the instructions of October 6, 1855, and January 30, 1856, copies of which are also enclosed, except after advisement with the governor of the Territory, nor in any way which may conflict with the requisitions that the governor may make upon you. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. COOPER, Brevet Brigadier General W. S. HARNEY, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, GENERAL: I am directed by the Secretary of War to convey to you the following instructions for the guidance of the officers of the army serving in the Territory of Kansas: "If the governor of the Territory, finding the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, and the power vested in the United States marshals and other proper officers, inadequate for the preservation of the public peace and the due execution of the laws, should make requisition upon you to furnish a military force to aid him, as a posse comitatus, in the performance of that official duty, you are hereby directed to employ for that purpose the whole or such part of your command as he may require. "In executing this delicate function of the military power of the United States, the responsibility will be upon the governor of the Territory, and you will implicitly obey his orders. These instructions are given in the hope that the governor will not find it necessary to resort to the military power, and in entire confidence that if so deplorable a necessity should occur, he will discontinue the use of your forces at the earliest practicable moment." I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brevet Major General P. F. SMITH, U. S. Army, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, April 28, 1857. SIR: I am instructed by the Secretary of War to say that the instructions conveyed in the letter addressed from this office to the com manding general of the department of the west, April 1, 1857, placing. the troops serving in Kansas at the disposal of the governor of that Territory in certain specified contingences, and with a copy of which you have been furnished, supersede any instructions of a prior date from the President or Secretary of War with which they may in any degree conflict. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. COOPER, The COMMANDING OFFICER, Fort Leavenworth, K. T. ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR The President of the United States directs that, on proper application therefor, you aid in the removal of intruders from the country in the vicinity of Fort Leavenworth set apart for Indian occupation, according to the terms of the act of 1834, commonly called the Indian intercourse act, a copy of which is herewith transmitted. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, COMMANDING OFFICER, S. COOPER, Fort Leavenworth, K. T. ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR Referring to the letter addressed to you from this office under date of October 6, 1855, in relation to the removal of intruders from the country in the vicinity of Fort Leavenworth set apart for Indian occupation, I have the honor to state that the direction of the President as therein conveyed was not intended to apply to lands ceded by the Indians to the United States for sale, but only to lands actually reserved for their residence. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, COMMANDING OFFICER, Fort Leavenworth, K. T. S. COOPER, HEADQUARTERS TROOPS SERVING IN KANSAS, Fort Leavenworth, September 25, 1857. of a SIR: I have the honor to enclose for your information a copy communication from the governor of this Territory, making a requi |