The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-06
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| ant duty e 'e en'i uS'e" WIN this import
III me s 9Th infantry left Fort Bridger on the 2lst
I', 'oI oIegon caG Benicia, California. They will
reach the latter point about the middle of Nooroa
Der, and expect to winter there after their march f
! l,SO0 miles, unless the Secretary of War and Gene
raj harney shall see ht to attempt winter campaipn
| in Oregon. f-7A
The grass between South Pass and Fort Bridger
IS entirely eaten up and various serious doubts are
entertained as to the possibility Of the remainder of
the contractors trans) more than One-half getting
through to Salt Lake City. No grain can be got of
course, and II the grass fails, the animals must
starve. The new road opened by Lieutenant Bryan
passes about seventyfve miles south of here, and is
sixty miles shorter than this route: the ascents are
also gentle, and it is less likely to be blocked
with snow than this road, but grass is extremely
scarce, being confined to the immediate banks of
streams, and the water, particularly down Bitter
Greek "a tributary of Green river is bad
Bryans road is preferable for mail riders and small
parties OF travellers, but all large trains must con-
tnue to travel up the North Fork of the Platte and
along the Sweetwater.
Companies l. and Nj, 4th Artillery, will leave
here about the 18th inst to establish military post
at the head of Lodge Pole Creek where Bryan's
road strikes the Black Hills. Grass and timber are
much more abundant on the head waters of Medi-
cine Bow River "a hundred miles farther west but
it is too late in the to get there and erect
buildings; in fact nothing but huts can be put up
this fall on Lodge Pole Greek. The order for the
establishment of the new post was DELAYED on the
road at least three weeks, and our first informa-
tiOn was derived from the address, or one of the
ubiquitous printed copies of Russell, Major Wad-
dell's contract.
The cost of maintaining troops, particularly
alry out here is enormous FCorn at this post costs
the government more than six dollars bushel.
Just before the close of Mr.. Davs's career as Secre
tarv of War, he issued an order breaking up this
post and Fort Kearney intending q think wisely)
to send expeditions out to the plains every summer,
to the Indians, and in the fall when the grass
failed to recall the troops to Fort Riley and Fort
I is phaop Iufan
garrisons are less expensive, but they are totally
useless probably injurious. Both here and at kear
ney the Indians have driven off the government
herd in broad daylight and in f4i view new OF frnm [ne
their barracks, because they had no animals with
which to follow in pursuit
train of seventy-ive government wagons,
loaded with clothing for the troops in Utah, ar
rived here yesterday in thirty days from Fort
Leavenworth This is pretty fast travelling, but 1t
is necessary, for the supply of clothing In Utah IS
exhausted.
In Gen. Smiths minute instructions for the move
ment of the reinforcrments for Utah, contained in
his order of the Sd of May, the allowance Tor trans
pOrtatiOn for troop was fixed at the minimum, ana
officers and soldiers were prohibited from taxing
their families on the pretext that the service was
Temporary, and that most of the relntorcements
would speedily return to Fort Leavenworth; de
also promised that those who did not return shoulo
have sent to theu from Fort LeavenwOrth, very
liberal supply of baggage &C. Out OF tour regl-
ments that marched one has been ordered back; the
members of the other three can indulge the nope OF
meeting their families sometime after Russell, W ad-
dell and Floyd retire; and if any officer among them
still thinks it is necessary to change his shirt oftener
than a week, he enjoy that felicity by pur-
chasing couple of ''hickores of the sutler at an
advance on st. Louis prices of from 300 to l,OOo
per cent.
A few days since delegation of Sioux called
upon our commanding officer to complain that they
were unable to communicate freely with their agent,
because he lives the Crows, who are at enmlty
with the Sioux. They obtained satisfaction.-
These Indians live by hunting antelope and by beg
ging. band of them have established their vii
lage the fort. Their lodges are made OF conf
cal arrangements of poles covered with dressed
buffalo skins. One of these Indians, named The
Swimmer, died of appoplexv recently. lie bore
very strong resemblance to General Cass; so strong
in fact that everybody observed it. The Sioux tie
their dead in the branches of trees, but Swimmer
was so heavy they inferred him.
Our gardens have produced nothing. Either ex-
cessive rain, continuous drought, or the grasshop-
pers, make horticulture failure three years out OF
four. Some mountaneers and Indian traders have
attempted to raise corn, but they cannot succeed.