point. I fear your attention is too much attracted by other matters than your command, and hope you will feel the importance of concluding a good record which you commenced in the line of your present duties, whatever turn other matters of public interest may take in Colorado. I have no news from Colorado since the 20th I believe, when some troubles had reopened on the Platte. Of course I feel great anxiety for that line, when at my last advices General Mitchell was moving against the Indians and I ordered Colonel Collins to move down from Laramie. The force General Mitchell has ought to make its mark against the Sioux of that region if he can concentrate in time. As to the settlements I must rely on the militia to give material aid in that regard, especially in Colorado, where the people are so generally armed and young adventurers. I shall divide my forces here so as to scout south and north of the Arkansas, sending also a force west, where I would prefer to go also. I did not get your dispatches sent to me from this place, as they had not arrived when I left Fort Leavenworth. I shall expect to find them on reaching my headquarters, which may be yet another week. The Colorado troops look very well, but as their time draws toward a close they are impatient to get discharges. I move across the river to-morrow.

Truly, your friend,

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Larded, July 30, 1864.

His Excellency JOHN EVANS,

Governor of Colorado:

DEAR GOVERNOR: After aiding Colonel Ford's successful movement against bushwhackers in Platte County and Clay County, Mo., I hurried over here to give directions to my defenses, and hoped also to go through to Denver. I must, however, defer that movement, as the troops I have with me must be divided and concentrated so as to meet the dangers and apprehensions which change as the Indians shift their positions and multiply their outrages, and these delays will exhaust the time I can spare from my headquarters.

Having been in the field for the last ten days, I have not heard a word from you since your dispatch concerning new troubles on the Platte. I shall look for intelligence with great anxiety. On this route the Indians have murdered and robbed posts and stations from the crossing of the Cimarron, eighty-five miles west of this place, to Six-Mile Creek, twenty-two miles this side of Council Grove.

The dangers are not yet over, but the total disasters are not very great so far, 12 killed, 6 wounded, and about 150 head of Government stock stolen. The Kiowas, Big Mouth's Arapahoes, and Comanches Scem certainly engaged in this affair, but some stragglers from all the prairie Indians join in the villainy. It seems impossible to get intelligence of the enemy.

All the Indians have gone from the reach of my correspondence, even the most friendly fearing to approach our troops, many of whom are militia that joined me on the way and are not very particular in their discriminations, as they are much enraged at the hostile acts perpetrated. Two boys are here who were scalped alive, and I think they will recover, although one of them had the skin taken off to his ears and had eighteen wounds besides.