ble accession to one of our sanitary fairs. Little Raven and Thunder Stone jointly presented me with a bow and quiver of arrows, the quiver being made out of a panther skin. I told him it was customary in our country to give a lock of their hair to friends; he laughed and replied that all the money I could give him would not tempt him to give me a particle of it.

I regard to these Indian difficulties, I think if great caution is not exercised on our part there will be a bloody war. It should be our policy to try and conciliate them, guard our mails and trains well to prevent theft, and stop these scouting parties that are roaming over the country who do not know one tribe from another, and who will kill anything in the shape of an Indian. It will require but few murders on the part of our troops to unite all these warlike tribes of the plains, who have been at peace for years and intermarried amongst one another. I do wish that some prudent, good man could be placed in command of the troops along the roads from Smoky Fork, on the Leavenworth road, to Walnut Creek, and from Cow Creek thorough to Fort Lyon, on the Kansas City or old Santa Fe road.

The arrangements I have made in regard to escorting the mails are as follows: The officer at Saline, who has 20 men, will escort to Smoky Hill Fork, and wait for return mail. The officer at Smoky Hill Fork, who has 40 men, will escort to Walnut Creek, and wait for return mail. Officer at Walnut Creek will require the Kansas City or Leavenworth mail to await the arrival of the one behind time, and escort to Fort Larned; he will have 40 men at this passes the eastern boundary mail guarded by Fort Lyon troops. this arrangement gives both escorts nearly a week to rest, the one at Lyon and the other at Larned. I have made no arrangement from Walnut Creek to Council Grove, but intend Council Grove to furnish escort to that point and back. In regard to the numerous individual and Government trains passing, the commanding officers of posts at the commencement of the Indian country should require both inward and outward bound trains to wait until a number are collected, so that they might ber able to defend themselves.

The inclosed is a copy of orders given to commanders of posts to govern escorts. I found something of this kind absolutely necessary to prevent escort from running their horses down after buffalo, also as a check to the several stage companies, who care not a cent how many Government horses ar broken down as they keep up their reputation for the benefit of the Government that a one story stone house be built at this point for commissary and quartermaster's stores, also one for a hospital; for could you but see the miserable excuse for a hospital that our sick soldiers are obliged to stay in, I know the heart of the general commanding would be moved to compassion. I further, as a duty, must report the sutler, Jesse H. Crane, appointed by Government, as a duty, must report the sutler, Jesse H. Crane, appointed by Government, as selling whisky without stint, contrary to act of Congress, which says, "A sutler shall not see intoxicating spirits." He is also reported by many as selling revolvers to the Indians.

I have the honor to be, very truly, your obedient servant,

T. I. McKENNY,

Major and Inspector-General.