HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF UPPER ARKANSAS,
Fort Riley, Kans., February 20, 1865.

Major General G. M. DODGE,

Commanding Department of the Missouri:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of letter per Lieutenant J. E. Tappan, acting assistant adjutant-general. I leave in the morning for the west part of my district for the purpose of inspecting the troops of my command, and to give my personal supervision to the perfection of my troops for the coming campaign. I am having built at Fort Larned a stone fortification. I found that the earth-works were much cut up, and in places washed away by the constant rains of the rainy seasons. Also, at Fort Zarah the troops are erecting earth-works and a blockhouse. In compliance with request expressed in your letter of the 15th instant I would suggest that at the same time an expedition starts from or on the Platte River route one should start from Fort Larned on the Arkansas, and one from Denver, moving toward a given point, going prepared to remain out from forty to sixty days, living and moving as the Indians, making, as it were, Indians of our troops. The cavalry now under my command are but partially mounted. Whenever a fresh mount reaches me and my men are relieved from garrison and escort duty I shall at once take the field and strike for the heart of the Indian country, although I expect that the horses sent to us will cause some delay in rapid movements until acclimated. Horses sent from the east for the first season on the plains are apt to be sick and of not much account. I have turned over to the Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry all the horses belonging to the Second Colorado Cavalry (100 head). My scouts report Indian signs south of the Arkansas, and that there is a large camp of Comanches and Kiowas about 150 miles southwest of Fort Larned. No Indians camps east of Fort Larned at present, but many small war parties are watching the road closely, ready to pounce upon any small party of stragglers traveling along the road. During my absence any matters of importance will be forwarded to me by messenger.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. H. FORD,

Colonel Second Colorado Cavalry, Commanding District.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF UPPER ARKANSAS,
Fort Riley, Kans., February 20, 1865.

Colonel J. H. FORD,

Commanding District of Upper Arkansas:

SIR: It is with great pleasure I inform you that my efforts to obtain an interview with the Indians of my agency have been successful. On the return of a party of Wacos and Keechies, whom I have sent out, they brought in with them eighty-one Kiowas, nine Arapahoes and six Apaches. The head chiefs of the Kiowas and Apaches were of the number, as also other chiefs and leading braves. The Arapahoes were of Little Raven's band that escaped from Colonel Chivington's massacre. They were exceedingly wary and feared treachery on the part of the whites, but after two days' council with my interpreters, and having received a blanket and other small presents each, were much pleased with their reception and promised to return to their villages and put a stop to all outrages or crime and then return to meet me at any time.