judge than myself. I only wish to urge upon you the necessity of prompt measures of relief.

Very respectfully, you obedient servant,

D. HUNTER,

Major-General.

P. S. - Copies of the requests made by Captain Turner and Brigade Surgeon Campbell will be furnished you by to-morrow's post. In view of the urgency of this case and the fact that these Indians cannot be supplied any further than has been done from the supplies of the army I send one copy of this letter to Topeka and the other to Leavenworth City. Fearful suffering must ensue amongst the Indians unless the steps necessary be promptly taken.

[Sub-inclosure C.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, Kans., February 5, 1862.

JOSEPH K. BARNES,

Surgeon, U. S. Army, Medical Director, Dept. of Kansas.

MAJOR: In compliance with instructions from Major-General Hunter contained in your order of 22 nd ultimo I left this place on the 22 nd proceeded to Brulington where I learned that the principal part of the friendly Indians were congregated and encamped on the Verdigris River near a place called Fort Roe, from twelve to fifteen miles south of the town of Belmont. I proceeded there without delay. By a census of the tribes a few days before my arrival there was found to be of the Creeks, 3,168; shaves of the Creeks, 53; free negroes, members of the tribe, 38; Seminoles 777; Quapaws, 136; Cherokees, 50; Chickasaws, 31; some few Kickapoos and other tribes-about 4,500 all. But the number was being constantly augmented by the daily arrival of the camps and families. I met assembled together Kamtamechks, Talwamechks, Meichkootks, and Teslamakimaktla, all chiefs of the Creeks; Poskooak (first) and Gotza (second), chief of the Seminoles; Tecumpta, a Chickasaw. From them I learned that a number greater than were assembled were scattered over the country at distances varying from 25 to 150 miles, and unable for want of food and ponies to come in. They were chiefly collected on the Cottonwood, Fall and Walnut Rivers.

These friendly Indians had had two fights with the Indians disposed to join the rebels and had been victorious. Their enemies had received re-enforcement from the Texas Rangers and had come upon them when they were celebrating a festival and in this third contest were defeated, compelled to fly with little on nothing to support life or protect themselves from the severity of the weather, and those now endeavoring to exterminate all who are loyal to the Government.

It is impossible for me to depict the wretchedness of their condition. Their only condition. Their only protection form the snow upon which they lie is prairie grass and from the wind and weather scraps and rags stretched upon switches. Some of them had some personal clothing; most had but shreds and rags which did not conceal their nakedness, and I saw seven varying in age from three to fifteen years without one thread upon their bodies. Hogobofohyah, the second chief of the Creeks, was sick with a fewer. It is time he had received from Mr. Fuller blankets enough to keep him warm, but his tent (to give it that name) was no larger than a small blanket stretched over a switch ridge pole two feet from the ground and did not reach it by a foot on either side of him