the scarcity of water and grass, the wonder will be that the troops were ever able to overtake the Indians at all. Although the results of operations in that Territory were not so great as hoped for, yet they were creditable, and were won at an expense of toil and privation of which any description could give but a faint idea to one who had never traversed this very singular country. The marches of the troops were long, and sometimes repaid by but poor results; for example, on one expedition, under one of our most distinguished officers, the troops marched 1,200 miles and actually killed but 1 Indian. Oftentimes long scouts would be made and not an Indian or even the track of one would be discovered. Yet the movements of the troops in every direction through the country of the Arizona Apaches and a few partial encounters with them, attended by great good fortune, gave us the morale over them, until now they are inclined to flee at the sight of our armed parties and scatter in all directions, and not to stand upon hill-tops and crags and jeer at our men by insulting cries and gestures as they did when we first began war upon them. It is hoped that in a short time they, too, will be sufficiently subdued to surrender and go upon a reservation.

While all this was doing the Indians of the plains commenced their attacks upon trains of the Government and of citizens coming out with supplies. This required that troops should be sent out to help these trains past the points of danger. Once this was done and the most of the trains secure an expedition was formed to punish even these Indians for their conduct. The Kiowas had been the most hostile, and had committed some of the most atrocious of the murders. It so happened that in Colonel Carson's brilliant affair with the Comanches and Kiowas, on the 25th of November, the Kiowas suffered the most loss, and had their beautiful village of 150 lodges, together with all their property and reserve of food entirely destroyed.

Not only have the troops thus followed and punished the Indians, but they have opened new roads, repaired others which had become destroyed by floods, have built posts, guarded trains through the interior of Arizona and New Mexico, and conducted the thousands of captive Indians from the old Navajo country to the reservation, and not only guarded them there, but have directed their labors in opening up what will be one of the most magnificent farms in the United States. The general commanding the department takes great pleasure in being able to congratulate the troops on such a record. The increased security of life and property throughout this widely extended department attests the beneficial results which spring from these efforts. The prosperity of New Mexico and Arizona will be sure to follow. So it must ever be a source of gratification and pride to every officer and soldier engaged in this great labor to know that the people for whom he has toiled are getting to be more secure in their lives and to be better off in their worldly conditio been done quietly and without ostentation on the part of the troops. In the great events which have marked the struggle of our country to preserve intact the union of all the States it was not expected that such labors would receive the attention of the General Government, but the fact that two great States will yet date their rise, progress, and the commencement of their prosperity from this subjugation of hostile Indians will always be most gratifying to remember by those who so nobly did the work.

By command of Brigadier-General Carleton:

BEN. C. CUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.