The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-12-11

for the protection of the railroad anG
the different posts, and along the line
of settlements, ] had available for the
field at the commencement of hostilities
only eleven companies of CaValry-sev.
en- of the Seventh and four of the Tenth
Cavalry-in all about 800 men. TFol
particulars touching the outbreak / re.
spectfully refer you to my report Of
Sept. 26, 1865, appended hereto. Witt
this small force for offensive operations
lit was impossible to accomplish great
deal in SO extensive country The
Indian, mounted on his hardy pony
and familiar with the country, was
about as hard to find, so long as tht
grass lasted, as the alabama OF the
ocean. The seven companies of the
Seventh Cavalry, joined by Vests com.
pany of the same regiment, moved to
EFortDO9ge, while the four companies
of the Tenth Cavalry moved from the
Saline to the crossing of Walnut creek
on the road from Fort Hays to Fort
Dodge, and there awaited information
Of the direction. IN which the faDlilies
80 rs Fl : had slEse2 ed
while BreVet Col. u. z 5 / or NTH. {sstf
a party of fifty scouts, moved north OF
the railroad to Beaver creek, to watch
the direction of the traiis-all of which
he reported as leading to the south oil
the Arkansas.
On the 7th of September Gen. Sully,
whose command had been increased by
a company of the Seventh Cavalay from
Lyon, and Brevet Major Pages compa-
ny, Third Infantry, in all between five
and six hundred men, crossed the Ar
kansas at Dodge to strike the villages
of the Indians reported on the Cimar-
ron ahnnf forty lnilnc defiant
On arriving at the Cimarron it was
found that the villages had moved, and
the trail was followed with more OF
less skirmishing until the crossing OF
the Canadian or Middle River was
reached, when the Indians made brisk
attack, but were driven off, after which
the command moved north toward
Fort Dodge and went into camp on
Chalk Bluff creek to await further
escort of Infantry for the wagon train.
the amount of Infantry with it not
being considered sufficient to guard it
successfully. Capt. Hale's company,
from the Solomon; Capt. Asbury's,
from Larned and Brevet Major Beebe's
company of the Thirty-eigth were sent
but so much time was consumed in
getting these companies from remote
points that the rations for the eXpedi-
were eaten up, and not much has since
been accomplished by this column
The Indians lost in the series of Skin
mishes on this movement south of the
Arkansas from seventeen to twenty
two killed and ali unknown number
wounded; the troops lost two killed
and one wounded.
While Gen. Sully was operating south
of the Arkansas, Capt. Graham, with his
company of the Tenth Cavalry. was
sent out from Wallace to give as much
protection as he could along the stage
line to Denver. On the 18th of Sep
TENDER he was attacked on Big Sandy
creek by about 100 Indians, defeated
them, killed eleven, and wounded an I'M
known number. Meantime, Brevet
Col. g. A. Forsyth, with his company
of scouts, took the trail of party of
Indians who had committed depreda-
tions near Sheridan City, and followed
it to the Orrikaree fork of the Republi-
can, where he was attacked by about
700 Indians, and after a very gallant
fight on the 9TH of September, repulsed
the savages, inficting loss on them of
thirty-five killed and many wounded.
In the engagement Lieut.. f. H. Beech
er was killed, Forsyth twice wounded,
the command living on horse flesh for
eight days. The gallantry displayed by
this brave little command is worthy OF
the highest commentator but was on
ly in keeping with the character of two
gallant officers in command of it, Brevet
Col. u. A. Forsyth and Lieut.. Freder-
ick 81. Beecher. While the command
was beleaguered two scouts stole trough
the Indian lines and brought word to
Fort Wallace of its perilous condition.
a. I'll II ~
Fifth Infantry, commanding Fit. Wal
lace, with the most commendab1e ener-
gy, started to its relief with 100 men
from the post, and Brevet Lieut.. Col.
Carpenters company, then en- mGrche
protecting the. stage line to Denver,
reaching Forsyth on the morning of the
18th of September.
About the same time Brevet Brig.
Gen. w. III. Penrose, from Fort Lyon,
Colorado Territory, pursued party OF
Indians who were driving off stock from
the settlers, and killed four of them.
While these operations were in progress,
the Governor of Kansas, knowing how
hard we were pressed for troops, pro-
posed to relieve the companies had on
the eastern frontier settlements of Kan
sas, if arms ammunition and rations could
be issued by the Government for 500
militia from the State. This / gladly
assented to, and these conditions were
carried out by direction of the Lieuten-
ant General.
AS soon as the agreement was consul
mated drew the two companies of the
Seventh Cavalry at Harker, and pro-
ceeded to Larned to try to induce the
Kiowas and Comanches to return to
their reservation at Fort Cobb. / offer
ed to furnish them rations to the post.
and Brevet Maj. Gen. HaZen, sent by
Gen. Sherman to conduct the Indians to
their reservations, agreed to feed them
during the winter, and issue their an
nuities.. This proposition was accepted,
but only as decoy to get their fami-
lies out of the proximity of the post
and then openly to become hostile.
There is no doubt in my mind of the
young men having been SO previously.
Previous to this interview with the
kiowas and before Gen. Sully moved
south of the Arkansas, in order to keep
a portion of the Arapahoes, who were
not known to be hostile, out of the war
he invited their principal chiefs to visit
us at Fort Dodge. i then offered to
provide for them during the winter,
which proposition they accepted, but
only as cover to get their stock and
families out of the reach of the troops
and when Gen. Sully moved south they
were the first to attack him. / mention
this circumstance to show that we ex-
hausted every alternative to be friend
iiy with Indians not known to be fully
engaged in the strife, as we had exhaust
ed every alternative during the summer
to preserve the peace with all the tribes
During the period embraced in the