363 mode of transmitting copies of subordinate papers, rather than the more brief one of condensation, that every fact may go to the country, in a matter upon which so much feeling has been mani- fested and so much interest felt. You will bear i:r:i mind that I had no communication whatever from your Excellency from the appointment of the Peace Com- missioners, on the 6th of June, untill the 20th of July, when I received a note from you, dated July 12th, stating that you fully endorsed the action of the Commissioners in calling out the force; and were gratified that the command had fallen upon me; and consequently, I did not know till then how far my acts and ap- pointment might meet with the approval of the State Govern- ment. Hastily called out, without a dollar for outfit, a quarter master commissary, means of transportation, subsistence, forage, ammunition or anything else, but brave and gallant men, on a mission, in which the whole country was deeply interested, con- flicting opinions and feelings prevalent, our objects misrepre- sented and open opposition avowed in at least one public meeting, it may readily be seen that the command of the expedition was by no means an enviable position, and certainly not an idle one. But, when in addition to these difficulties, the active opposition and denunciations of the Federal Government, through its Agent Major R. S. Neighbors, were encountered, I found but two altena- tives--either to supinely abandon a just, honorable, and well con- ceived plan of protecting the people against the further outrages of the Reserve Indians, and thereby restoring peace and quiet to the frontier, or to go straight forward regardless of all opposi- tion from government officials or others, in the faithful dis- charge of a patriotic duty. I chose the latter c~mrse. The extraordinary course of Major Neighbors as an officer of the United States.-his persistent efforts at shielding the In- dians under his supervision from a quilt too well fastened upon them, but a denunciation of the people on the frontier, the Gov- ernor of the State and its officers, and threats of defiance at the troops of the State, acting under the most reasonable and neces- sary instructions in good faith, needs no comment from me. I have it where the correspondence herewith transmitted, places it. Our efforts were solely directed to the protection of the country, by compelling the Indians to remain on their respective Reservations till moved. For this purpose, well appointed scouts were constantly in the saddle, instructed to attack all Indians found off of either reserve, unless in charge of an Agent or some responsible white man. In strict compliance with this rule, after
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