HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Fort Leavenworth, March 18, 1865.

Colonel FORD,

Fort Riley:

Concentrate all mounted men at Fort Larned. Boat load of horses for You arrived to-day; will start them out to-morrow; also pack train in two or three days. As soon as strong enough strike the Indians. Don't let them get north of You if You can help it. Will hurry up stock so You can have all Your cavalry mounted in few days. Keep scouts out and watch their movements and keep me posted. You must be the judge as to the force You need to whip them. Are they committing any depredations on the road? Answer.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF UPPER ARKANSAS,
Fort Riley, Kans., March 18, 1865.

Major J. W. BARNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the general commanding, scouting party under command of Lieutenant Jenkins, H. D. Janes, chief of scouts, and Sergeant Nettleton, returned to Larned and report that they found the Indian camps of the Comanches, Kiowas, and Apaches; also Little Raven's band of Arapahoes. These villages or camps have but recently come up from the line of Texas. They number in all about 1,500 lodges and 3,500 warriors. They are camped within a radius of probably thirty miles. As soon as our scouts were discovered by the Indians, telegraphing by smoke and fires commenced upon every side, and Indian pickets or scouts began to show themselves upon every hill. Two strings of horses just arrived, 100 in each string. They have been forwarded to the companies needing them most. The Third Missouri Cavalry I have sent to the front. The Second U. S. Volunteers I have distributed as follows: One company here, one at Salina, one at Ellsworth, two at Fort Zarah, and three at Fort Larned. It will take at least 200 more horses to mount my regiment and furnish teams for my artillery. I shall send all my cavalry with the expedition, except enough to establish courier-line through to Fort Larned. We are very scarce of corn at Fort Larned, and I have applied to the chief quartermaster for the privilege of purchasing some corn, about 14,000 bushels, in open market, to be delivered at Fort Larned. That amount can be purchased and delivered immediately. I shall start twelve teams to Larned in the morning loaded with ammunition, stores, and corn. That is all the teams I have at present. I shall need pack animals and pack-saddles, 200 more cavalry and artillery horses, and then I am ready to live, if necessary, on the plains with Indians most of this summer. Another regiment of cavalry would not come amiss in this district, but I can get along with what we have. I do not like to move against the Indians until I am sure of whipping them, and until I can go prepared to stay with them. A short campaign is of no use. A large body of men cannot come up on their camps without being discovered, and then a stern chase is generally a long one. If we go out and have to abandon the pursuit before