is necessary to give the Government a clear idea of the nature and wants of this branch of the service.

1st. The First Indian Regiment is of Creeks, mustered at Leroy. The only white officers at first were field officers. The regiment did some service in June and July; it became badly demoralized for want of sufficient and competent officers; partially broke up in August; was collected in October,and had white first lieutenants mustered, under General Blunt's order. Some 300 or 400 of the regiment, who had gone to Leroy in August, and who had refused to leave it, got down with the train just at the time the Army of the Frontier was rebrigaded. The regiment had drilled very little; are indifferently informed as to their duties.

These Creeks are about equal in scale of intelligence to the Delawares of Kansas; they are inferior to the Cherokees. They are in bad shape, get out their details slowly, sometimes desert a post, or a party when sent on duty; yet I would be lacking in my duty to them or the Government if I failed to say that, with one or two good field officers, military men, and two, or even three, company officers, they could be made very effective. No party of them should be sent without a competent officer. Their own officer are, with few exceptions, useless, but there are one or two men of influence amongst the captains, brave fighters in the field, and of influence not be overlooked. This Creek regiment gives me much more concern than either of the others.

2nd. The Second Regiment originally consisted of Osages, Quapaws, &c., and, when it got into the Cherokee Nation, finally of Cherokees. The Osages, who were neither more nor less than savages and thieves, who brought the whole Indian command into disgrace, were finally mustered out during one of their periodic desertions, which fortunately happened at pay time. So of the Quapaws and other broken fragments of tribes that were little better. Under General Blunt's orders, I recruited for the Second Indian Regiment, and its numbers have been brought up to its present status (see reports) from Cherokees, half-breeds, and whites. Last summer to regiment drilled but little; lately it has improved in that respect. It still lacks necessary officers, but is in a fair way to make a useful force.

3rd. The Third Indian Regiment, which was my own, rejoined after its organization, was literally taken from the enemy, and was the heaviest blow dealt in the Southwest last summer. Profiting by the experience of the first two regiment, it was organized by General Blunt's orders, at my suggestion, with first lieutenant and orderly sergeants picket out of the white regiments in the field. I endeavored to secure active, intelligent men, conversant with their duties as soldiers, or non-commissioned officers, and just so far as I succeeded in this the result has been favorable. Unless when on actual march, the regiment had dress parade every evening, and drill and officers' schools every day. The result is that it is as well drilled as many white regiments that have been a longer time in the service. The regiment has done a great deal of active service, besides innumerable scouts and skirmishes. They were for two hours and forty minutes under his musketry and finally artillery fire at Newtonia. They participated at Fort Wayne, Cane Hill, Dutch Mills, Prairie Grove, and other engagements. This is the only Indian regiment that is really so far, although the Second undoubtedly will be, but there are several errors in its organization, and some few of this command and also the Third absent themselves without leave, which is a chronic Indian weakness.

The error in all the Indian regiments has been in not mustering the