Today in History:

724 Series I Volume XLVIII-II Serial 102 - Powder River Expedition Part II

Page 724 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.

Wisconsin Volunteers, Companies A and F, Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, will move at once with transportation, camp and garrison equipage to this post.

* * * *

By order of Colonel John Morrill, commanding:

J. H. STEGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS,
Little Rock, Ark., June 1, 1865.

Major-General BLUNT,

Fort Gibson:

No troops can be sent you at present. It is not probable that rebel soldiers traveling northward have any other purpose than going to their homes. Captain Pratt has not quite finished settlement here. Captain Wendell, assistant quartermaster, started for your post some five days ago.

Respectfully, &c.,

JOHN LEVERING,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH KANSAS CAVALRY,
Camp Dodge, near Platte Bridge, Dak., June 1, 1865.

Lieutenant I. I. TABER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Fort Laramie:

SIR: I have the honor to report that on the morning of last Saturday the Indians in considerable force attacked Rock Ridge Station, and run off what stock Remained, and soon after cut the telegraph line. No further information was received from there until yesterday, when a messenger arrived from Sweetwater Station, bringing intelligence that on Sunday night Lieutenant Collins, Eleventh Collins, Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, with two men, started from Three Crossings for Rock Ridge, and, arriving within a short distance, discovered that the station was in flames. Not considering it prudent to venture farther, he returned to Crossings. The fate of the garrison of Rock Ridge is unknown, but the worst is feared. It numbered four men, all of the Eleventh Ohio Cavalry. Monday afternoon about forty Indians effected a stampede of the herd of horses and mules belonging to the Sweetwater garrison, and succeeded in getting away with four horses and six mules. One Indian was killed. Yesterday I sent Lieutenant Bretney, with eight men of his company, to Sweetwater, then to proceed to Rock Ridge if deemed safe. He will be at the latter place to-morrow. I also sent Captain Green, with sixty men of the Eleventh Kansas, provided with twenty days' rations, to go up the road as far as Rock Ridge, with instructions to repair the telegraph line and take the necessary measures for the immediately rebuilding of the station at Rock Ridge. I also turned over to Captain Lybe five of the Government teams that came up with my regimental train, and ordered him to proceed at once to his station at Three Crossings and distribute his company according to orders from you, and also to submit to the order and direction of Captain Green in reference to the repairing the telegraph, re-erection of station at Rock Ridge, &c., while the latter officer remains on the road. I also directed Lieutenant Harper, regimental commissary Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, to loan to Lieutenant Bretney 900 rations of flour and bacon,


Page 724 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.