be much greater. It is impossible, however, to be certain as their dead and wounded are immediately carried off; indeed, it is common for the warrior to be fastened to his horse so that his body will be brought off in case of accident. The number of warriors engaged was from 500 to 1,000, the latter probably nearer the mark. They were armed with rifles, revolvers bows and arrows. Many were mounted on American horses and there were white men or Mexicans among them. They had plenty of ammunition. Minie-balls were common, and they were bold and brave. They generally shot too high, else we should have suffered much more. Early in the engagement I telegraphed to Major Thomas L. Mackey, commanding at Fort Laramie, to send down a field piece, it appearing difficult to dislodge the Indians from their sheltered positions without one. Directly afterward the line was cut. About 3 o'clock I sent a strong party to repair it. The break was found about a mile west and mended. Soon afterward it was cut again. At dark another party was sent out and found two poles cut down and the wire gone for four poles at or near the same place. By taking wire from the line east it was repaired, so that we were able to keep up communication with Fort Laramie. During the night we fortified and prepared to take the offensive. In the morning no Indians were in sight. Leaving Captain Fouts in command of the station, we reconnoitered in force ready to meet them and found the whole country covered with trails. They seemed to concentrate and tend generally toward the springs on Rush Creek about ten miles distant, and we satisfied ourselves that their main camp was there. Before daylight of the morning of the 8th, Lieutenant W. H. Brown, Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, arrived with a howitzer, having come from Fort Laramie in thirty-four hours including stoppages. On the morning of the 8th an expedition was organized for pursuit, Captain Fouts being left in command of the station. The country is very broken and in Indian fighting an attempt to surprise is always probable. The camp was found where we expected at Rush Creek Springs. It was deserted, but there were evidences that it had been recently and hastily left; that they had been there about three days and were in great numbers. The camp covered several miles. Over 100 beef-cattle had been slaughtered in it. Empty oyster, meat, and fruit cans were plenty. Flour sacks, a quantity of codfish, and indications of the spoils of ranches and trains were scattered everywhere. Quantities of meat cut up for use and skins pegged down for drying and tanning were left upon the ground. Pressing forward on the now fresh trails, in four or five miles we reached the valley of the Platte, near the mouth of Rush Creek. When within a mile of the river we came in sight of the Indians on the other side scattered over the plains between the bluffs and the river, grazing their horses. There were no tepees or lodges, no travois or lodge poles, no women, children, or dogs in sight. They had all gone forward into the bluffs which at this point are about five miles north of the river, leaving the warriors only behind. The lodge trails were very broad and fresh, apparently made that morning and the evening before.

It was now clear we had underestimated the numbers against us. With a field-glass they could be distinctly seen and examined. There were at least 2,000 warriors in sight. It was evident that all the hostile Indians that had been committing depredations and holding the country along the South Platte were concentrated here. The river was about half a mile wide and frozen over. While we were looking for a cross-