Nebr. Ter., reports that scout of seven men returned last evening. Reports having seen about forty Indians, forty miles south of that post. December 19, 1864, Captain T. J. Majors, commanding post Plum Creek, Nebr. Ter., reports that in obedience to telegraphic order from headquarters Eastern Sub-District of Nebraska, he moved from that post on the morning of the 13th with thirty men and one howitzer from post Plum Creek, and fifty men, under command First Lieutenant John P. Murphy, Company F, Nebr. Ter. Detachment from Plum Creek with the howitzer moved due south to headwaters of Spring Creek. With the detachment under Lieutenant Murphy, moved east eight miles, then southwest to headwaters Spring Creek, there meeting the detachment from Plum Creek; thence down Spring Creek fifteen miles and camped. Marched at daylight on the 14th; crossed the Republican River; scouted up and down this stream, finding no Indian signs. Then moved south to Beaver Creek, crossing Little Beaver; followed up Beaver Creek thirty-five miles and camped. Here found an Indian trail leading due south, about two days old. On the 15th continued the march up this stream ten miles and struck the Curtis trail, which was followed north to the Republican, where the command camped. On the 16th, returned to post Plum Creek without making any discoveries of any importance. Whole distance traveled 160 miles. December 21, 1864, Captain John Wilcox, Company B, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, commanding post O'Fallon's Bluffs, Nebr. Ter., reports that scout started from that post on the 15th, moving south forty miles to Willow Creek; thence down that stream to its junction with the Republican sixty miles; thence up the Republican ten miles; saw no recent signs but of small hunting or scouting parties of Indians. Heavy snow-storm came and scout returned to post O'Fallon's Bluffs. December 21, 1864, Captain B. E. Murphy, Company A, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, commanding post Alkali, Nebr. Ter., reports that scouts, consisting of one sergeant and seventeen men of his company, started from that post on the 16th, south to head of Spring Branch, forty-five miles, and camped. On the 17th moved down to White Man's Fork and down that stream; thence across to main branch of White Man's Fork; from thence to Stinking Water, and from its mouth to its source, and from there returned to post Alkali. Saw no Indians, but plenty fresh signs. Absent four days; two nights without fuel. January 2, 1865, Colonel S. W. Summers, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, commanding post Fort Cottonwood, reports that scout sent out from that post came across fifty Indian warriors on the divide between the Beaver and Solomon Rivers, 125 miles southwest of that post. War party was traveling northeast toward Plum Creek.

In addition to the above numerous small parties acting as secret patrols have been sent of hostile Indians, under instructions to travel at night and conceal themselves in cannons during the day. The reports from these, with the exception of the one which returned to Cottonwood on the 1st instant, are uninteresting. The severely cold weather and the promptness with which every Indian raiding party has been met by our troops seem to have discouraged the Indians in their attempts to murder and plunder travelers on this road during the past month. I have no doubt, however, that they will return as soon as the weather is propitious. No losses to us the travelers on the road and no stoppage of the mail have occurred in the time reported for. All work on the fortifications at the posts of this sub-district has been