HEADQUARTERS EXPEDITION INTO INDIAN COUNTRY, Camp No. 57, on Crooked River, near Camp Maury, July 20, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the letter of the 12th instant from the general commanding the district. From Camp No. 46, on Rattlesnake Creek, I moved with both expeditions north-northeast for three days up Selvie's River to a valley of several miles extent called by Lieutenant Waymire in his report last spring Summit Valley. Here I halted and sent Lieutenant Waymire on a scout to the east with three disci' rations, and Lieutenant Currey with twenty men to Canyon City to make inquiry among the citizens of that place concerning visitations from the Indians. For the information of country, &c., elicited by Lieutenant Waymire, please see his report, inclosed herewith, marked A. * Lieutenant Currey reported Canyon City as being twenty miles from camp in a north-northwest direction; the citizens very much alarmed at the Indians, and that some six days previous to his arrival (on the 6th) a party of thirty or forty had attacked a train and driven away about forty head of animals from within a few miles of the town. Parties who pursued the Indians gave information that they had fled up the South Fork of John Day's river. This information induced me to change my direction to a north-northwest, so as to reach the South Fork of John Day's River and thus intercept them, or at least find their trail. On the evening of the 11th I crossed the dividing range to the west of the South Fork, and halted with a view of scouting the western tributaries of the South Fork and headwaters of Crooked River. At noon on the 12th the Indian scouts came into camp at full speed and reported that they had been ambuscaded by a large party of Snake Indians and one of their number killed about ten miles from camp to the north. I immediately started with 100 men to the scene. When about three miles from camp I discovered a large smoke about three miles to the east of my route, which I immediately recognized as the smoke from burning wigwams. Changing my direction and hurrying on as fast as the rocky nature of the ground would permit, I soon arrived at their abandoned camp. It was situated in a deep wooded ravine, seemed to have been occupied for several days, and from the appearances about 100 head of horses and mules belonged to the band. It is only conjencture as to the number of Indians, but I am of the opinion the party did not exceed sixty. Should estimate their probable strength at about that number. From the numbers fresh tracks diverging from camp in all directions, several hours were spent in determining the direction taken by the party in its flight. Having satisfied myself that they had taken the direction of the South Fork, I returned to camp.

On the morning of the 13th with Companies A, D, and F, First Oregon Cavalry, I started on their trail with a supply of eight days' rations and three boxes of ammunition. About noon of the 12th [14th?] I reached the South Fork, which here runs in a canon of at least 1,000 feet deep, very steep - indeed preciptions. As soon as my command reached the bottom of this canon the Indians began a pretty lively fire upon me from the almost overhanging ledges. The Indians having driven their stock from the river up a deep walled canon coming into the South Fork from the east, doubtless supposed they had found the only exist from the chasm. Dismounting my men I deployed Company a behind rocks and trees up the canon on the west side of the South Fork; Company E in front of the horses and transportation in the bottom, and

---------------

*See p. 349.

---------------

21 R R-VOL L, PT I