believe he can vanquish us, when he will offer battle, but this is so seldom the case that I deem the plan of making a depot and finding an encampment through reconnaissances infinitely more certain of success. The best season in which to attack Indians is in the early spring months; April and early part of May when the young grass purges and enfeebles their stock, disabling them from running any great distance and insuring their being easily run down by our grain fed stock.

I would also suggest the propriety of establishing a post on the Republican River, immediately south of Plum Creek, at some favorable point on the north side of that stream, connecting it by a telegraph line with Plum Creek Station early next spring. By this means raiding parties of Indians could be met by the troops of both garrison and effectually checked. The timber on the Republican would enable the erection of log houses for quarters and stables and the erection of a substantial stockade around the garrison. Your attention is called to the fact that nearly all the depredations by Indians have been confined to the neighborhood of Plum Creek, and that the great Indian route between the Platte River and the country south is over the prairie lying between the Republican and the Platte Rivers, immediately south of Plum Creek.

The supplies for such a post could be hauled very readily, as the country between the these points is excellent for road purposes. In addition to the advantages of such a post in deterring marauding expeditions of Indians, it would be found of great service to our posts along the overland road in furnishing a supply of fuel, which is abundant on the Republican and its tributaries, while it is exceedingly scarce on the road. The advantages of a post on the Republican River are so self-evident that I will not point them out further.

I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

R. R. LIVINGSTON,

Colonel 1st Regiment Nebr. Cav. Vet. Vols., Commanding East. Sub-Dist. of Nebr.

Captain JOHN PRATT,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebr. Ter.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS EASTERN SUB-DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA,
Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter., November 27, 1864.

WILLIAM REYNOLDS, Esq.,

General Supt. O. S. Line, Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter.:

SIR: In view of the frequent ambuscades by hostile Indians between this post and Fort Cottonwood, and the fact that nearly all these hostile demonstrations occur after darkness, I deem it essential to the safety of the U. S. mails and the lives of the passengers in your coaches that you make it incumbent on your division agent to run the coaches between this post and Fort Cottonwood by daylight. I respectfully suggest the hour of 4 a. m. as a seasonable hour for the departure of the coach from this point for the west, and 3 a. m. for the departure of the coach going east from Cottonwood.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. R. LIVINGSTON,

Colonel First Nebr. Cav. Vet. Vols., Commanding East. Sub-Dist. of Nebr.