and I only hoped to meet or get here before you started. When I found the Indians of the upper Arkansas in defiant array, I apprehended much wider disasters than those already reported, and I fear now that they may combine to destroy trains and murder our white people. To prevent this I gave orders, copies of which I will send you. They will give you an idea of my views. First, I have increased and shifted troops in the dangerous district. Second, I have ordered fieldwork to be erected, such as seen best suited to localities, to prevent such assaults of Indians being successful. Of course I would not define the works. The bend of steams, high places, defense of fords and bridges, timber and water, and proper distances from post to post, will have to be considered. I suppose you will have to go through to Fort Lyon and look over the ground more leisurely and more carefully than I could do or than others have done. By having our stores and stock properly corralled, a very small fore can guard a post against Indians, and we will then be able to use more of our troops for escort and for the pursuit of the Indians. Third, I required entire secrecy and no intercourse with the Indians about the post. If talk and toady operations are to be conducted by anybody it must be transacted entirely outside of the lines of the posts. The Kiowas, Comanches, Arapahoes, Cheyennes, and Apaches, have all been implicated in the stealing of stock, and most of them with the murders. They must, therefore, if possible, be punished and also be required to restore double the amount of stock, and most of them with the murders. They must, therefore, if possible, be punished and also be required to restore double the amount of stock they have stolen before any terms of peace or friendship can be allowed. I have ordered Captain Booth to Saline; Lieutenant Ellsworth, with his company, to Smoky Hill Crossing. I have re-established Fort Zarah at the mouth of Walnut Creek. Larned is important because buildings are erected to accommodate troops, but there is no great interest in its as a military post, and I do not think it best to put a vast amount of expense there. I sent a company to be posted at the Cimarron crossing of the Arkansas. Troops are already at Camp Wynkoop and Lyon, beyond the Cimarron crossing. I directed a station to be established at Cottonwood, and you know of the force at Council Grove. Intermediate stations will be necessary, I suppose, but we are so scarce of troops it may no be practicable at present. The object is to keep the line open and stages and trains safe in their transit. If practicable, a moving force should move out north and south to annoy, catch, and kill, so as to make war a burden to the savages and prevent them from procuring their usual supplies of buffalo meat. Such a general policy seems to be necessary to subdue the Indians and secure the safety of the whites. Six hundred men and two mountain howitzers would be force enough to meet the combined force of the hostile tribes I have named, and from all I could learn they have not combined and may not be able to do so. Some bands are said to be opposed to the war on the whites, and if that be so some arrangement may be made to separate them from their tribes. But they must not be brought into our lines to associate with our soldiers as they have ben doing, but directed to some special locality. You will make all possible inquiry as to the position and movements of the Indians and keep me fully advised.

I remain, general, very truly, yours, &c.,

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

P. S.-Send the Colorado battery company now stationed at Larned to Lawrence as soon as possible for this purpose. Send orders by