left. On the 2nd of this month they stole fourteen head of horses and mules from the mail company at Elk Mountain Station. I sent a party after them, but they could not be overtaken. On the 6th they took three horses from Cooper's Creek from the mail company. I started 70 men from this post, with Lieutenants [Henry] Bradley and [Hugh H.] Williams, at 1 o'clock on the morning of the 7th, to go in pursuit of a large party of the Indians who were reported about 30 miles from this place with the mail stock. After a hard ride of 30 miles, they come up with the Indians a short time after daylight. The Indians had got wind of them, and had run the stock through the pass and into the mountains, and when the troops came up they (the Indians) commenced firing upon them from the brush and timber, as they had made arrangements for a regular battle, having piled up stones on the side hill for breastworks. The troops answered the fire promptly, dismounted, and charged up the steep hill-side through the brush and timber, driving the Indians before them, who steadily fell back, contesting every foot of the ground until they were finally driven over the hill, when they broke and scattered through the mountains. The Indians poured down a perfect storm of bullets upon the troops, but their aim was too high, as they invariably shot over, a common fault in shooting down hill; had they not shot over they would have annihilated the troops, for there were nearly 300 Indians, and the fight lasted two hours. We had 5 men wounded. Sergeant [S. N.] Waugh has since died; was shot through the body. One of the others is badly wounded. We have got information from what is considered a reliable source that the Indians lost over 60 killed and wounded; over 20 killed on the field. When the Indians broke and scattered, the troops were firing their last round of cartridges, and, not having any ammunition, were obliged to return to the post, after eating breakfast on the battle-field.

There is supposed to be about 1,000 of these Salt Lake Utes in this vicinity, and they are making great threats of revenging the loss of their braves killed on the 7th, and every night some depredation is committed on the mail stations. On the 8th, four head of mules were taken from the mail station at Rock Creek, and one horse killed had three arrow in him. On the 9th, two mules were taken from Medicine Bow Station and the station plundered. It is absolutely necessary that more troops be stationed in this vicinity to protect the mail line. I can get none at Fort Laramie. There should be another company at this post, and one company west of here, say at the Platte, also one at Cooper's Creek or Laramie River. If you could send troops for a short time they would do much good. Colonel Collins is on the road with 600 troops for this part of the country.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. ALLEN,

Captain Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.

P. S.-Both officers and men deserve great credit for the bravery shown in the fight.

KANSAS CITY, July 10, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel B. F. LAZEAR,

Commanding Post, Lexington, Mo.:

General Schofield informs me a band of outlaws, claiming to be Union men, are robbing and murdering the people of Johnson County. You will forthwith take or send two companies of the First Missouri from