JANUARY 1-NOVEMBER 30, 1885. -Operations on the Canyon City Road,

Oreg., with skirmishes.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1. -Captain Henry C. Small, First Oregon Cavalry.

Numbers 2. -Lieutenant William M. Hand, First Oregon Cavalry.

No. 1.

Reports of Captain Henry C. Small, First Oregon Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS CANYON CITY ROAD EXPEDITION,
Camp Watson, Oreg., January 17, 1865.

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you of a scout made to Cottonwood Creek, on Canyon City road. On the morning of the 11th instant, at 2 a. m., an express was sent for me to hasten with all possible Speed to the stage station on Cottonwood, as the Indians had shown themselves the previous evening, and, from representations, would doubtless attack the settlers before I could reach there. I started immediately with Lieutenant Hand and ten men, leaving ten behind with the pack train. I arrived at Cottonwood at 8 a. m. and found that a party of six Indians, armed with four rifles and two bows and arrows, bad show]I signs of attacking a couple of travelers, who encountered them two miles this side of the station, but had escaped unhurt to the house. Tile Indians then came down in sight of the house, and seemed to be in no hurry about leaving. My impression was, when I left here, that they could be easily tracked, but, to my surprise, I found that the snow had entirely disappeared and the ground frozen very hard, which rendered pursuit impossible. I went as far as the South Fork, crossing at the foot of the timbered ridge, and returning down to the mouth on the east side, having been out three days and two nights, traveling a distance of fifty-five miles. Lieutenant Hand, with a detachment of ten men, leaves in the morning for the South Fork with ten days' rations.

I am, with much respect, your obedient servant,

H. C. SMALL,

Captain, First Oregon Cavalry, Commanding. ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters District of Oregon, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.

HEADQUARTERS CANYON CITY ROAD EXPEDITION,
Cottonwood, Oreg., April 21, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report to the colonel commanding the District of Oregon that on the morning of the 18th instant I sent a detachment of ten men down the river after Lieutenant Hand's detachment, with instructions for him to proceed at once to this place. Leaving nineteen men in charge of the horses, I proceeded with the acting assistant surgeon, D. Walker, and the wounded men to camp, having previously sent to the post for a team. After having the wounded comfortably cared for, the acting assistant surgeon and myself started from camp on the 20th at 2 p. m. for this place, intending if Lieutenant Hand had returned to proceed up the South Fork to where we had the engagement of the 16th instant. When within about three miles and a half of this place, it being near sundown, I saw an Indian on horseback to the right of the road riding iii this direction. I told the surgeon that our only chance of escape was to put our horses under full speed and run past,