winter. The best site, it is said, will be some forty miles east of the old for up the Boise River, where wood, water, grass, and cultivable land can be found. The season this winter is so mild (three weeks or a month earlier, perhaps, than a year ago) that grass will permit the stasrting of the command from The Dalles in all probablity by th 8th of April. If other arrangements permit I shall recommend that date. The state of the transportation will decive. But I deem it also important than an expedition against the Snake Indians shall be made to strike them in their haunts 120 miles east of Fort Boise, near the Camp Prairie, north of Salmon Falls. All accounts agree that they made that a stronghold last summer, having in their possission large bands of mules and horse (mostly the former) stolen from the Oregon Stage Company and other parties. The capture of these animals I would make an object, and it would from one of the signal punishment s of these robbers. I should hope they might fighty and give some opportunity to inflict a severa chastisement. I would therefore like to send to Fort Boise seven companies, four of infantry and three of cavalry. Two companies of infantry to be left behind to commence the building of the post and the remaing five to take the field. The expedition should keep on to Fort Hall to the north side of Snake River and leave word with the ferryman, eight miles above that place, that the emigration had better keep over that road to Fort Boise, it being the shortes, with least sand, best wood, grass, and water.

It is expected Captain Medorem Crawford, assistant quatermaster, will be ordered to return east to bring out another escort to emigrants. If so, I would arrange for him to come over that road. I should also hope (as I said in my letter of the 14th of October) that you will instruct the commanding officer at Camp Douglas, near Salt Lake City, to send and expedition to a point beynod the South Pass to protect the emigrantt as Fort Hall, or until it meets the command from Fort Boise. The troops I send out against the Snakes, after finishing that undertaking, for which they will have time before the emigration reaches them, should remain on the emingration road until the other troops shall meet them. Those intended to return to Fort Walla Walla should reach there about the 31st of October. Some Nez Perce allies can in all probability be induced to accompany the expedition, who would materially assist in finding the enemy, and especially in finding their bands of stolen mules. This programme would protect the emigration, chastise the Indian (if fortunate enough to meet them), and protect the miners also, who are all within forty miles of the above-mentioned site for the fort. To get the troops is the trouble. The seven companies would be obtained as follows: Leaving one company at each of the posts of Forts Vancouver, Steilacoom, Dalles, and Walla Walla, Captain Seidnestriker's company (D) of First Washington Territory Infantry, from Fort Hoskins (evacuated as proposed in my letter to you of the 6th instant); Captain Barry's (G), from Fort Steilacoom; Captain O'Regan's (I), from Fort Vancouver; Captain Dowling's (H), now at Fort Walla Walla. All these belong to th First Washington Territory Infantry; also Captain Harris' company (A), First Oregon Cavalry, now at Fort Dalles, and two companies of same regiment from Fort Walla Walla. On th 10th of May the commissioners to negotiate the treaty with the Nez Perces meet them at a grand council of that trible to assemble at the Lapwai to re-enforce Fort Lapwai during that countil, whereas I should wish to send at least two companies. It would leave but one company of infantry at Fort Walla Walla. In other words, there would be no