with directions from the honorable Secretary of War I will be please to approve and direct the issue on proper vouchers presented to my chief of ordnance, Major McNutt. I also notice with great satisfaction your efforts and hopes expressed in your letter for securing the privilege of calling out two regiments of 100-day men.

I have reports from General Rosecrans and from Fort Smith of several thousand rebel troops under Marmaduke having crossed to this side of the Arkansas, with several pieces of cannon. If they come this way I am promised aid from General Rosecrans, and I shall hope to avail myself of the very prompt arrangement made by you for my district commander to call out your militia in the Southern District of Kansas. I have asked the honorable the Secretary of War to so modify his permission to issue 40 rounds to all militia organized armed, and ready for duty, and hope to receive a favorable reply.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant,

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

SALINA, May 31, 1864

T. O. OSBURN,

U. S. Marshal for the State of Kansas:

DEAR SIR: On Tuesday, the 17th of May, a man came in great haste from the west to this place having rung down 2 horses in 40 miles,

stating that the Indians had attacked the ranches on the Fort Riley and Ford Larned road, killed some and taken the mail stock, and that they were coming toward the settlement. I immediately called the settlement together, and in a few hours we were prepared for an attack.

Wednesday the stage drivers and ranch keepers came in and partially confirmed the report. A man by the name of Walker, at the Cow Creek ranch, who was tending stock for the Kansas Stage Company had been shot and the others fired at by the Indians; the men from the ranch, however, driving them back, killing 2 and wounding another. The men from the ranch then fled, supposing that the Indians would soon be back with re-enforcements.

The ranch keeper at Walnut also reported that they made their appearance at his ranch, ordered him to leave instanter, or he would be killed and took away with them his wife, a Cheyenne squaw. They told him that they had just had a fight with the troops from Colorado on the Smoky Hill, that their chief had been killed, and that they intended to kill all the whites they could find, but being friendly toward him on account of his wife warned him to get out of the way. Upon receiving this news, I immediately dispatched a messenger to Fort Riley for troops. Forty-five immediately started for our place, arriving about midnight Thursday night. Friday morning, with 15 soldiers, under Lieutenant Van Antwerp and a posse of citizens, I started west to search for the mail, which was supposed to be on the road somewhere, and to bury the man killed at Cow Creek. We found the man, the arrow still sticking in his body, buried him, and proceeded on west with the 15 soldiers in search of the mail.