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375 vicinity of the two Indian Reserves for about one month with a company of State Troops, to restrain the Indians from commit- ting depredations on the citizens of the frontier. I am now in the rear of your command for the same object. I had expected when your command should be near Belknap to request of yourself & the Indian Agents, that the people of the surrounding country might be allowed at one and the same time to look among the horses & cattle of the Indians for their missing animals, but with all diligence could not learn when the Indians would leave the Reserve, and never lost the opportunity of doing so. I encamped on the night of the 3rd at the Cotton Wood Springs. While there Mr. Patrick Murphy living 14 miles East of Belknap on the over- land Mail Road, with a Mr. Miller, came into my camp & gave me a statement in writing a copy of which I enclose you. On the morning of the 4th they left for home & I resumed my march, but had not gone half an hour when Miller returned & told me they had just seen 4 Indians with a lot of led horses bearing towards Murphys house. I at once started in pursuit with 17 men. Struck their trail (which on seeing Murphy turned North) and chased them most of the day and saw them at one time 4 miles ahead but it rained all day & I could not catch them. They had dogs with them and were beyond question Reserve Indians, they finally struck the road in the post oak below Trinity and behind my company (which continued to march during the day) and followed it until they discovered the company ahead and then lifet it to go round and join the main body on Little Wichita which I have no doubt they did that night. About 11 horses came into the road-Several probably picked up that were hidden out- They no doubt have Murphy's in the crowd. On the same day my scout hotly chased two Indians west of the road & above Cotton- wood Springs. My opinion is that various robbing parties of them are still behind. While I shall in no wise molest Indians in the vicinty of your command, I have respectfully to request that when Indians re- main behind to hunt up missing stock you will detail one or more soldiers to remain with them, instructed in case they see any of my scouts to indicate their character by a white handkerchief. I make this request sir with every feeling of respect-and a desire to come in collision with no Indians in honest business. And with the same feeling I now inform you that as the only means of pro- tecting this frontier during your absence from these pensioned marauders. I shall treat them as enemies whenever seen not so accom-
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