plies were ordered sent to the District of the Plains, which included Nebraska, and Colorado, for 12,000 men for one year for operations east of Rocky Mountains, and to the District of Upper Arkansas, including the southern overland route, for 7,000 men for six months. I also received instructions to place supplies in Utah for 5,000 men, but for reasons which will hereafter appear supplies for only 2,500 men were sent there. The contract for transporting the supplies was made by the Quartermaster's Department at Washington and not closed until the 1st of May. The contractors were given from that time until the 1st of December to complete their contract, no time being specified for the delivery of any supplies at designated points earlier than the limit named. This alone was almost fatal to my operations north of Fort Laramie, as after the troops arrived there they were detained from four to six weeks, for supplies that had been sent from here and been on the road from two to three months, and we had finally to haul supplies for General Connor's columns by Government trains from Fort Kearny and Cottonwood before they could move.

In forming my plans for the campaign my understanding was that the hostile Indians were to be punished at all hazards, and this I intended to do, knowing if I was allowed to press the campaign according to my plans that before another spring a satisfactory and durable peace could be obtained. My general plan of operations was marked out as follows, viz: General P. E. Connor, commanding District of the Plains, was to move against the northern Indians in three columns; General J. B. Sanborn, commanding District of Upper Arkansas, to move with three columns against the southern Indians, and two separate columns, small and light, were to move, respectively, up the Republican and Smoky Hill Forks of the Kansas River, and keep the country between the Platte and Arkansas Rivers free from Indians, and aid in keeping the great overland routes unobstructed. In addition to these dispositions troops had to be kept posted on the Platte stage and telegraph lines from Fort Kearny, via both Denver and Fort Laramie to Salt Lake City and along the Arkansas route to New Mexico. General Connor's columns were to be about 1,500 men strong each, but the non-arrival of troops reduced the number to an aggregate of 2,500, and to obtain which I had to strip the Platte route. He (Connor) moved with his force as follows, viz: One column, under Colonel Cole, Second Missouri Light Artillery, going up Loup Fork along east base of the Black Hills, crossing the Little Missouri at or near Bear Butte; thence across to near the forks of Little and Big Powder Rivers; thence to point of junction, some fifty miles from the Yellowstone, on Tongue River. One column, under Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, to move from Fort Laramie directly north alone the west base of the Black Hills, crossing at head of the Little Missouri, and thence across Powder River to point of junction named. The third column, under General Connor in person, with supplies for three columns for use after effecting the junction, moved up the North Platte to its most northerly bend; thence due north to Powder River, and after establishing the post of Fort Connor, some 180 miles northwest of Laramie, moved along east base of the Big Horn Mountains to the point of junction on Tongue River. Instructions to General Connor and other district commanders are hereto appended, marked A. After a portion of these columns had moved and were all in the field I received the dispatches and instructions from Major-General Pope, which, together with my answers thereto and action thereon, are hereto appended, marked B.