OFFICE SUPERINTENDENT INDIAN AFFAIRS,
                                         ATKINSON, KANSAS, DECEMBER 4, 1868.

Sir:
    I have the honor to report that on my return yesterday from Paola, whither I had been to pay the fall annuities to Indians of the Osage River Agency, I found in the public journals, General Sheridan's report of what he calls "the opening of the campaign against the hostile Indians", the perusal of which made me sick at heart. Had these Indians been hostile, or had they been the warriors who committed the outrages upon the white settlers on the Solomon and Saline rives in August last, or those who subsequently fought Col. Forsyth and his scouts, no one would rejoice over the victory more than myself. But who were the parties thus attacked and slaughtered by General Custer and his command? It was Black Kettle's band of Cheyennes. Black Kettle, one of the best and truest friends the whites have ever had, amongst the Indians of the Plains, he who in 1864, purchased with his own ponies the white women and children captured on the Blue and Platte rivers by the Dog Soldiers of the Cheyenne and by the Sioux, and freely delivered them up at Denver City to Col. Chivington, who was at the time the military commandant at that place. After this he was induced, under promises of protection for his people, to bring them into the vicinity of Fort Lyons, where they were soon afterwards pounced upon by the military led by Chivington and cruelly and indiscriminately murdered. Black Kettle escaped--but his people, in consequence of the step he had taken to induce them to come to the vicinity of the Fort refused to recognize him as their Chief, and he thus remained in disfavor with them up to the time of the treaty of 1865, at which time, after explanations on the part of the Commissioners he was reinstated. In July, 1867, when Gen. Hancock burned the villages of peaceful Cheyennes and Sioux, Black Kettle used all his influence to prevent the Cheyennes from going to war to avenge this wrong, and so persistent were his efforts in this behalf, that his life was threatened, and he had to steal away from them in the night with his family and friends and flee to safety to the lodges of the Arapahoes.
    In August, 1867, when I was sent out by the Indian Peace Commission with instructions to assemble in the vicinity of Fort Larned, all the friendly Indians belonging to the Kiowas, Comanches, Arapahoes, Cheyennes and Apaches with a view of using them to get into communication with the hostile

Indians. Black Kettle was among the first to met me at Fort Larned cheerfully proffered me his assistance and protection, and from that day to the conclusion of the treaty of Medicine Lodge Creek, no man worked more assidulously than did he to bring to a successful termination the business then in hand and no man, red or white, felt more happy than did he when his people had finally signed the treaty by which they once more placed themselves upon friendly relations with the Government, and when he ascertained that some of the young men of his tribe had committed the atrocities upon the Solomon and Saline in August last, I have been credibly informed that so great was his grief, he tore his hair and his clothes. And naturally supposing that the whites would wreak vengeance upon all Indians that might chance to fall in their way, and remembering the treacherty that had once well nigh cost his life, (I refer to the massacre at Sand Creek) he went south to avoid the impending troubles.
    This same report says the family of Little Raven of the Arapahoes is among the prisoners and that he too was engaged in the fight. When I recollect that this Chief was one of those who met me at Fort Larned in September, 1867, furnished me with a guard of his young men from that post to Medicine Lodge Creek, protected me and the few white men with me while there, vigilantly watching over us both day and night continually sending out his warriors as messengers to the hostile Indians for the purpose of inducing them to abandon the path and to come in and meet the Commissioners and finally believing that Little Raven has not been engaged in the recent depredations nor would have permitted any of his warriors to go upon the warpath could he have prevented it. I cannot but feel that the innocent parties have been made to suffer for the crimes of others.
    It is likewise said in the report that Sa-tan-ta came to the assistance of Black Kettle. I regret that he has been drawn into these difficulties. He is one of the most powerful chiefs among the Kiowas, and his influence for the last three years has been exerted in favor of peace. Had it not been for him in August last, a desperate fight might have take place at Fort Zarah between the Kiowas and the soldiers of that post. (See my letter, 22" August last enclosing one from Agent Wynkoop reporting the affair.)
    Knowing these Chiefs as I do, I feel satisfied that when all the facts pertaining to the late attack, shall become know[n] it will be found that they and the few lodges with them composed that portion of their tribe who desired to remain at

peace, and who were endeavoring to make their way to Fort Cobb for the purpose of placing themselves under the care of their Agents on their new reservation.
    Judging from the map of the Indian country this fight took place within some sixty or seventy miles of the latter post, and being so near it confirms the fears I entertained as expressed in my letter to you on the 15th. ult. and will have the effect I apprehend of frightening away all those Indians who were expected to congregate in the vicinity of Fort Cobb, and of starting upon the war path many Indians who have been friendly disposed towards the government, thus costing the Nation many valuable lives and millions of treasure.
    Had Congress at its last session appropriated sufficient funds to continue the feeding of these Indians last June, I believe we could have kept them at peace, and that by this time they would have been quietly located on their new reservation, where we could control and manage them, gradually wean them from their wild and wandering life and in doing which it would not have cost the Government as much per year as it is now costing per month to fight them, and this cause would have been far more humane and becoming a magnanimous and Christian nation.

                    Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                             THOMAS MURPHY, Supt. Indian Affairs.
Hon. N. G. Taylor,
Commissioner, Washington, D. C.

Source:

Brill, Charles J., Conquest of the Southern Plains; Uncensored Narrative of the Battle of the Washita and Custer's Southern Campaign, Oklahoma City, OK, Golden Saga Publishers, 1938, pp. 316-318.