orders, and received instructions to proceed with a detachment of men in pursuit of some cattle purporting to have been stolen by the Cheynne Indians. Absence of transportation prevented my starting until the 8th instant, when, at 4 p. m., my command, consisting of 54 men and two 12-pounder mountain howitzers of Independent Battery Colorado Volunteer Artillery, Lieutenant Burdsal commanding, and 26 men of Company D, First Cavalry of Colorado, Lieutenant Phillips commanding, was put in motion. On the 9th, I encamped on Running Creek, 30 miles southeast from Denver, at which camp Lieutenant Burdsal was recalled and Lieutenant Beach took command, agreeably to special orders dated headquarters Camp Weld, April 9, 1864. On the 11th, I camped on Beaver Creek, 80 miles southeast from Denver, where I was joined by one Routh (who had been herding the stolen cattle) in the capacity of guide. On the 12th, I crossed the dividing ridge between the waters of the Platte and Arkansas and encamped on the Big Sandy, a confluent of the latter. Forced to remain in camp on the 13th from a prevailing snow-storm. On the 14th, moved 20 miles down Sandy and encamped, having at this point struck a broad and distinct Indian trail directly northwest, evidently having with them, from the numerous tracks, at least 100 head of cattle. I followed this trail on the 15th until I reached the headwaters of the Republican, a tributary of the Kansas River, when I was informed by one of my scouts that an Indian village was on a defile about 1 mile in advance of me. I immediately halted my command and dispatched Lieutenant Phillips with 2 men to make inquiry of the Indians in relation to the stolen cattle. Ten minutes had not elapsed after their departure when one of the men came galloping up and informed me that the squaws were all mounted and leaving the village and that the warriors were approaching the command. I immediately put the column in motion, and when passing through a defile an Indian was descried standing about 50 yards from the command. I ordered 2 men to take him prisoner and bring him to he, and while advancing so to do, the Indian shot 1 of the men through the body, inflicting a very dangerous if not a mortal wound.

At this point I ordered the artillery back to the transports, the nature of the ground being such as to prohibit its farther advance, and divided my forces into squads of 10 men each, with instructions to scour the country for a distance of 10 miles. Taking 3 men with me I proceeded to the village and found it entirely deserted, but containing immense supplies of beef and buffalo, dried and packed in the manner peculiar to the Indians; also a quantity of undressed buffalo robes, cooking utensils, powder, lead, beads, and all the paraphernalia of a completely supplied Indian village, all of which I burned, except such articles essential for the use of the command, and encamped upon the ground. On the 15th, I continued my course northwest. During the day my transportation animals, which had been showing evident signs of exhaustion for four days past, almost entirely failed, 1 mule dropping dead in the harness and others lying down. I was compelled at all ravines to attach a rope to the tongue and draw the wagons over by hand, but succeeded in getting 15 miles, when, coming to another village which had been deserted but a short time, I encamped and sent squads in pursuit on the trail. After following about 4 miles robes, dried meats, lodges, lodge poles, and all the various articles found at a first-class village were found strewn along the trail, and ascertaining that the Indians had gone

56 R R - VOL XXXIV, PT I