tauntingly beckon us to follow-an impossibility in the face of a superior enemy at the swimming stage of the river. In their flight they dropped and abandoned all their lodges and loose plunder, which I ordered burned and destroyed. From discoveries on the timbered islands the Indians had evidently been strongly re-enforced by warriors from the opposite side of the river. Their loss in killed was not less than 20 or 30, most of whom they threw into the river, as dead bodies were seen floating in the river below where they crossed. After repairing the telegraph line, broken by the Indians during the action, and interring our dead, (except Captain Fouts, whom we afterward interred at Fort Mitchell) we took up our line of march and arrived at Fort Mitchell a little after night-fall.

Our loss in action was 4 killed and 4 wounded, viz: Captain W. D. Fouts, Privates Edward McMahon, Richard Groger, Company D, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, and Private Philip Alder, Company B, killed; Privates Samuel Kersey and Lewis Tuttle, Company B, Privates James H. May and John W. Trout, Company D, wounded.

Throughout the action all the officers under my command behaved with credit to themselves and to the service.

Receiving a dispatch from Colonel Moonlight to cross the river and join him in pursuit of the Indians, I attempted the crossing on the 15th, but the river being wide and coursed with alternate channels that swam and bars of quicksand that mired, I abandoned the crossing as impracticable, by unanimous consent of all the officers in consultation, we having lost two horses and one mule by miring and drowning, and two men hurt by the floundering of animals and dragged to shore nearly drowned, in attempting to cross. Indian ponies are trained and accustomed to cross in every stage. All Indians, great or small, can swim; one-third of white men cannot.

Receiving General Connor's dispatch on the 16th to report with my command at Julesburg immediately, I have the honor to report his order obeyed.

Very truly and respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN WILCOX,

Captain Company B, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, Commanding Detach.

Captain GEORGE F. PRICE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, District of the Plains.

JUNE 15-22, 1865. -Scout from Fort Sumner to the Oscura Mountains, N. Mex.

Report of Major Emil Fritz, First California Cavalry.

FORT CRAIG, N. MEX., June 23, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that I left Fort Sumner on the 15th instant, per special order from Major McCleave, commanding Fort Sumner, with Captain B. F. Fox and forty-five enlisted men of the First California Cavalry, in pursuit of Navajo Indians reported to have escaped from the reservation. I took the direct route to Fort Stanton; saw but one small trail leading south; some fifteen or eighteen horses, about fourteen miles from Sumner. At Fort Stanton I drew ten days' rations and started for the Oscura Mountains as per agreement with Major McCleave. I left the Ojo Milagro June 20 at 6 a. m. ; crossed the Malpais, and in the afternoon at the tanks at the foot of the Oscura