Numbers 6. Report of Captain Lee P. Gillette, First Nebraska Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS POST,
Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter., December 16, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report, in obedience to Circular Numbers 9, headquarters Eastern Sub-District of Nebraska, the following military [operations] at this post:

On November 26, 1864, Lieutenant John P. Murphy, with eighteen enlisted men of Company F, First Nebraska Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, marched to Pawnee Ranch, on the Little Blue River. On morning of the 28th of November he marched from that post in a westerly direction, scouting the country adjacent to the headwaters of the Little Blue, and returned to this post on the 30th of November. Reports that he saw no Indians nor any signs indicating that they had been on that stream recently. The country passed over from Pawnee Ranch to Fort Kearny is considerably broken, and is interspersed with numerous small streams. Grass and timber (along the streams) is in sufficient quantities to supply troops marching through the country. On the same date, November 26, one commissioned officer and forty-five enlisted men of the garrison left post, under command of Captain L. P. Gillette, on scout to Republican River, with six days' rations for men and six days' rations for animals. Marched 11.30 p. m. of that day. Moved up Platte River to Seventeen-Mile Point and went into camp. Marched at daylight the following morning in a southerly direction across Platte River Bottom and over the Sand Hills; thence southwest twenty-five miles to the canons on the head of the creek next east of Spring Creek, and went into camp. The country traveled over after leaving the Sand hills that skirt the Platte River bottom is high rolling prairie, and produces no timbers and but very little grass.

Next morning, November 28, marched west nine miles and struck Spring Creek ten miles from its mouth; thence down that stream to Republican River and up the Republican River seven miles and camped for the night.

Next morning, 29th, marched five miles west, forming junction with troops under command of Captain Majors. Returned direct to the mouth of Spring Creek; marched up that stream eleven miles, and camped. Country passed over on last two days' march very much broken. Streams difficult to cross on account of steep banks and muddy bottom. Grass plentiful and on the streams wood in sufficient quantity to supply troops marching through the country.

On the morning of 30th marched north ten miles to the source of Spring Creek; thence northeast twenty miles to Seventeen-Mile Point, on Platte River.

The troops at post during the month of November have been doing ordinary patrol, escort, fatigue, and guard duty. A part of the command have been building fortifications, and during the month have put up 800 square yards of sod and earth embankment. The extreme cold weather and the number of men required for wood-cutting has interfered with the work on the fort. I most respectfully request that work on the fort be suspended until spring, and that the engineer in charge be discharged. The wood detail (consisting of one commissioned officer and twenty-five enlisted men) are cutting wood on Grand Island, eighteen mile east of Fort kearny, and have put up 200 cords of wood, of which seventy-five cords have been delivered at post. The Platte River is at this season of the year difficult to cross. Wagon-