and wounded. After this last repulse they disappeared from my vicinity and were seen no more. Continuing up the river we were compelled to cross and recross it, through quicksands and muddy banks, frequently as often as fifteen times a day, camping in the timber along the banks of the stream, which afforded sufficient grass for the remnant of my animals. During the continuance of the march no signs of Indians were seen camping places a month or more old.

On the 13th of September a courier party of two soldiers and two Pawnee Indians, sent to me with dispatches by General Connor, arrived in my camp. They had left their camp the previous morning and had traveled across to Powder River, and striking my trail near one of my old camping grounds, had followed it up, overtaking my command in the afternoon. They reported the country they had passed over to be positively impassable for trains of any kind. General Connor's dispatch directed me to cross to Tongue River, where his command was lying, or to push up Powder River to Fort Connor (now called Reno, the existence of which I then for the first time learned)eaving it discretionary with me which I should do. The evidence of my scouting and hunting parties, together with that of the courier party, satisfied me of the impracticability of any attempt at getting to Tongue River; and, difficult as the way up Powder River, growing worse we got deeper into the gorges of the mountains, I deemed following a water-course better policy than risking the loss of animals and me, now so much weakened by starvation and privation, in attempts at crossing the rugged Powder Mountains, a distance of thirty or more miles, without water or grass. At this time, from the want of proper food, sufficient clothing, and the foot-soreness and enervation consequent on the hardship and fatigues of this already lengthy and arduous campaign, the command had become so reduced that a march of fifteen miles a day was a most severe task for them.

On the morning of the 14th I sent Lieutenant Jones, Second Missouri Artillery, with a detachment of men, to accompany General Connor's party on their return to his camp, with a dispatch setting forth my whereabouts and present condition. I continued moving up the river, the road growing worse as we advanced, yet the cheering knowledge that rations were near at hand, far nearer than distant Laramie, had infused new life into the men, who now cheerfully overcame the difficulties besetting every stop of our path-difficulties that but a short time before appeared impossibilities.

On the 17th I sent Lieutenant Schmitten and an escort with dispatches to the commandant of the post at Fort Connor (Reno), stating the condition and locale of my command, requesting him to send rations to meet me as soon as possible. On the 19th I ordered Colonel Wells, Twelfth Missouri Calvary, to move to Fort Connor (Reno) with all dismounted men able to march and all mounted men save 150, which I retained to guard the trains, as the retention of the entire command only delayed a majority from sooner reaching rations, which they could speedily do by following Indian trails, whilst their presence added nothing to the mobility of the trains. During the afternoon Lieutenant Schmitten, returning, met this part of the command, and after supplying their wants pushed on and reached me a few hours later. On the following day I reached Fort Connor (Reno) and camped four miles south to wait for General Connor, who had not yet arrived. Here I very naturally expected to find quartermaster's supplies for my shoeless and ragged command, but no wise nor humane foresight had placed them here. It is true the men were content to once more find them-