SEPTEMBER 25, 1864.-Skirmish at Walnut Creek, Kans.

Report of Major General James G. Blunt, U. S. Army, commanding District of Upper Arkansas.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF UPPER ARKANSAS,
In the Field, Fort Larned, Kans., September 29, 1864.

MAJOR: For the information of the major-general commanding the department, I have the honor to report that I left this post on the 22nd instant, at 4 a. m., with about 400 men and two mountain howitzers, provided with ten days' rations of hard bread and half that amount of bacon. It was my intention to have gone south of the Arkansas upon Crooked Creek and the Cimarron; but on arriving at the crossing of the river, sixty miles west of this post, on the evening of the 23d, I learned that a force from the Department of New Mexico was at the Cimarron Springs, and that a large party of Indians were camped on the Smoky Hill. At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 24th I left camp on the Santa Fe road, and marched north, reaching a point that night within eight or ten miles of Pawnee Fork. At 3 a. m. of the 25th I continued my march directly north, and at the first dawn of day reached the Pawnee, where the command was halted and a party sent up the creek in search of a crossing. They had proceeded about half a mile when they returned and reported the discovery of an Indian lodge and some ponies. I immediately sent out a small party of men to reconnoiter, and soon heard a brisk firing. By this time it had become sufficiently light to discover that they were pursuing the Indians up the creek, and I sent Major Anthony with Companies M and L, of the First Colorado Cavalry, to re-enforce them. After waiting over an hour, and hearing nothing from Major Anthony, I started up the creek with the remainder of the command, and after proceeding about one mile I discovered the small force under Major Anthony surrounded on all sides by the Indians, and gallantly fighting their way back. As soon as the Indians discovered that I was coming up with the remainder of the force they ceased fighting and commenced to retreat.

Major Anthony had followed the first party of Indians up the creek about six miles (the Indians all the time increasing in force), when he found himself overwhelmed by numbers. He then attempted to send messengers back to me and commenced to fall back. The messengers were cut off by the Indians and did not reach me. My loss is 1 killed, 1 missing (supposed to be killed), and 7 wounded. We found 9 dead Indians. More are supposed to have been killed, as many were seen to fall from their horses, but were immediately carried off the ground. I pursued them on their retreat two days, until my stock becoming exhausted and subsistence consumed (no buffalo in that region), I was compelled to abandon the chase. From the head of Pawnee the Indians crossed to Smoky Hill, and there were many evidences of their having retreated in great haste. Their main camp was about ten miles up the Pawnee from where we first attacked their picket, and numbered not less than 4,000, 1,500 of whom at least were warriors, Cheyennes and Arapahos. There is little doubt but this party of Indians were moving down for a raid upon the Santa Fe road or the frontier settlements. If so, their designs for the present are defeated. It was clearly demonstrated in the fight on the 25th instant that the Indian warriors ride fleeter horses than ours, and that their war parties cannot be pursued with success.

JAS. G. BLUNT,

Major-General.

Major C. S. CHARLOT, Asst. Adjt. General, Department of Kansas.