make the application to Washington. I have just had a company of cavalry mustered into service at Marysville; they have not yet got their arms nor are they mounted. When they are ready for service they will be ordered to report to you for duty. You will have to use your own judgment as to your ability to protect both the mail route (as now changed) and the telegraph line. I am fearful that the removal of the mail route will increase the difficulty, as it will give the Indians confidence of success in their enterprise. As the emigrant season is about over protection for them will not be much longer needed, and if sufficient protection cannot be given the emigrants now passing you will send them back.

You should take measures to have sufficient quantities of hay put at such points of the present route of the mail line as will be best suited to operate against the hostile Indians. In this ample provision should be made, as there is no doubt an increase in your cavalry force will be made. At present you will have to do the best you can with such force as you have.

Having confidence in your judgment and discretion, I shall leave the details of matters in that direction to you and will furnish you with more troops as soon as possible.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. B. BLUNT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS INDIAN EXPEDITION, Camp on Wolf Creek, Cherokee Nation, July 20, 1862.

Brigadier General JAMES G. BLUNT,
Commanding Department of Kansas:

SIR: I have the honor to report that I have arrested Colonel William Weer, commanding the Indian Expedition, and have assumed command. Among the numerous reasons for this step a few of the chief are as follows:

From the day of our first report to him we have found him a man abusive and violent in his intercourse with his fellow-officers, notoriously intemperate in habits, entirely disregarding military usages and discipline, always rash in speech, act, and orders, refusing to inferior officers and their reports that consideration which is due an officer of the U. S. Army.

Starting from Cowskin Prairie on the 1st instant, we were pushed rapidly forward to the vicinity of Fort Gibson, on the Arkansas River, a distance of 160 miles from Fort Scott. No effort was made by him to keep communication open behind us. It seemed he desired none. We had but twenty-tree days' rations on hand. As soon as he reached a position on Grand River 14 miles from Fort Gibson his movements suddenly ceased. We could then have crossed the Arkansas River, but it seemed there was no object to be attained in his judgment by such a move. There we lay entirely idle from the 9th to the 19th. We had at last reached that point when we had but three days' rations on hand. Something must be done. We were in a barren country, with a large force of the enemy in front of us, a large and now impassable river between us,and no news from out train or from our base of operations for twelve days. What were we to do? Colonel Weer called a council of war, at which he stated that the Arkansas River was now