a every point to go out and hunt these marauders down. We had several chases on our scout and some running firing, but without any material result. Came in sight of a squad of six men near Petty's Store, in Boone County; gave chase; killed 1 horse and captured a led horse that they had just stolen, and a gun. They ride the best horses in the country, and when pursued, take to the brush and soon disappear. We will have to use strategy as well as pluck to get them. My force is very weak and horses much jaded by long scout. In a few days I shall try and be able to put 180 men into the Perche Hills.

Yours, truly,

JOHN F. WILLIAMS,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, July 5, 1864.

His Excellency JOHN EVANS,

Governor of Colorado:

DEAR GOVERNOR: Your favor of the 22nd,* written after seeing Indian Agent Lane, and apparently under an apprehension that I did not concur in the views expressed by you as to a great Indian combination for war purposes, is just received. I have received reports from the Arkansas River and from the Platte Conservatory of the testimony you have given me as to efforts on the part of the Cheyennes, Sioux, and some of the Kiowas to unite in war measures against the whites, and I have abundant reason to know that small parties have so united and committed hostilities near Denver, on the Platte, and on the Arkansas. I may not have all you have seen and heard, but I am sure I have a great deal on the subject which you have not seen nor heard, and I am obliged to Your Excellency for all the intelligence which you have sent me. All my forces have been on the alert and doing all in their power to prevent and chastise as the circumstances seem to require. While prepared for the worst as far as possible we may not exhaust our efforts in pursuit of rumors, and I, therefore, request you to send me telegraphic information of outrages which were fully ascertained. I am scarce of horses everywhere, and cannot too cautiously avoid waste in this branch of the service. Without any further reports from you in response to my dispatch, I hope the pursuit of the murdering bands near Denver which occurred about one mouth ago concluded for the present the villainy there, and I hope your militia will aid what remains of the Federal troops in keeping matters as quiet as possible. It would take a great deal more force than we now have to insure our wide scattered settlements in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Kansas, where these hostilities have been committed. All my conversation with Agent Lane was intended to express to him and through him to you that however much we may have reason to apprehend a general Indian war we should not conclude them as such a thing in actual existence before doing all in our power to prevent such a disaster. It was not demonstrated by the report then before me. But be it a great or small matter, we would be culpable if we did not do all in our power to suppress it, for the greatest Indian forces I have felt with my scouts are south and near the Arkansas River. I am therefore fortifying, concentrating in that quarter. General Mitchell is alive in Nebraska, where a few Sioux have been found. If you have your militia in hand, even to a small number, I trust my Federal troops, united with them, will do

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*See Vol. XXXIV, Part IV, p. 512.

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