State militia, and will co-operate with you and under your direction. You will take good care to guard your stock and use every vigilance against surprise. Scout the country up the Republican and across to the Little Blue, and all information that you obtain of the movements of Indians that is of importance you will communicate promptly to these headquarters.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. TAPPAN,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

MARYSVILLE, August 14, 1864.

Major-General BLUNT,

Fort Riley:

SIR: I have just arrived at this point form Fort Leavenworth on an expedition after the Indians who committed the late depredations on the Denver road. From what information I can gather, I think that they have moved toward the Republican, with from 800 to 1,000 had of oxen and a large number of horses and mules. I shall be at the crossing of Big Snake to-morrow and follow up the road until I strike their trail, when, if I am satisfied that there are no more bands on the road, I shall strike toward the Republican. General Sherry, of the militia, has just started. He goes in the direction of the Republican. I write this for your information, general, thinking that you may not be so well posted as I am as to their movements. It is eighth days since we have had any communication farther than fourteen miles above Little Blue. In that fourteen miles they have murdered sixteen men, women, and children, and burned all the ranches. The people were flying from their homes all over the country yesterday, as I came along, but I have steadied them down, and the men are all going out after the Indians. I have about seventy-five men and one mountain howitzer.

I have the honor to be, general, yours to command.

S. P. THOMPSON,

Captain, Sixteenth Kansas, Commanding Expedition.

OMAHA, NEBR. TER., August 14, 1864.

Brigadier General ROBERT B. MITCHELL,

Cottonwood Springs:

One company militia is to leave Nebraska City this morning for Beatrice. The citizens of Beatrice have fortified and formed company, expecting an attack. Governor Saunders thinks another company will be ready to leave to-morrow.

JNO. PRATT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ATCHISON, August 14, 1864.

Major-General CURTIS:

Can send them on first coach. Will not be running through that soon. By our last from Little Blue it is far from being all right. Impossible to get station-keepers and stock-tenders unless they have some guaranty for protection from similar raids.

N. A. GILLESPIE,

Agent.