PHILADELPHIA, PA., JANUARY 26, 1869,

Hon. N. G. Taylor,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs:

Sir:--
    In reply to your request to be furnished with all the information I have received relative to the "Battle of the Washita;" I have the honor to state that all the information I have in regard to that affair has been gleaned from the public reports of the same, and in two letters I have received from Mr. James S. Morrison, who was formerly in the employ of my agency. One of his letters I herewith enclose,

the other is in possession of Colonel S. F. Topper, [Tappan-chw] of the Indian peace commission. I am perfectly satisfied, however, that the position of "Black Kettle" and his immediate relations at the time of the attack upon their village was not a hostile one.
    I know that "Black Kettle" had proceeded to the point at which he was killed with the understanding that it was the locality where all those Indians who were friendly disposed should assemble. I know that such information had been conveyed to "Black Kettle" as the orders of the military authorities, and that he was also instructed that Fort Cobb was the point that the friendly Indians would receive subsistence at and it is admitted by General Hazen, who is stationed at Fort Cobb, that "Black Kettle" had been at his headquarters a few days previous to his death; In regard to the charge that "Black Kettle" engaged in the depredations committed on the Saline river during the summer of 1868, I know the same to be utterly false, as "Black Kettle" at the time was camped near my agency on the Pawnee Fork; the said depredations were undoubtedly committed by a party of Cheyenne Indians, but that same party proceeded with the Sioux north from that point, and up to the time of "Black Kettle's" death had not returned to the Arkansas River. There have been Indians deserving of punishment but unfortunately they have not been those who received [it] at the hands of the troops at the "Battle of the Washita" "Black Kettle's" village at the time of the attack upon it was situated upwards of 150 miles from any travelled road, in the heart of the Indian country, and the military reports state that the ground was covered with snow and the weather intensely cold; it is well known that the major portion of the village consisted of women and children, and yet the military reports are that they were engaged in hostilities and excuse the attack for the reason that evidence was found in the camp, that the said Indians were engaged in hostilities.--How did they know that those evidences existed previous to the assault? Mr. Morrison states that there were 50 (?40) women and children killed, that fact need no comment, it speaks for itself. I do not know whether the Government desires to look at this affair in a humane light or not, and if it only desires to know whether it was right or wrong and disgraceful. With much respect,

                 Your obedient servant,
                       E. W. Wynkoop, late U. S. Indian Agent.

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. 314-315.