I then proposed to spare you all except six companies, two of which were then in the Department of New Mexico, to be returned to Colorado. This proposition it was not thought prudent to accept, as you said it would not be prudent to weaken the frontier lines; but as we were then at peace with all of the tribes in this Territory and on the plains, I thought it possible to spare all the troops excepting the six companies.
    Now we have but half the troops we then had, and are at war with a powerful combination of Indian tribes, who are pledged to sustain each other and drive the white people from this country. I was made aware of this combination last fall through reliable sources of information, which were at once sent to the Colorado District headquarters, and thence to department headquarters at Saint Louis, and to the Indian Bureau at Washington. They were, through the Secretary of the Interior, laid before the War Department. I also went to Washington last fall to make preparations for the probable conflict. I inclose copies of the more important papers referred to for you information, to which I made reference in a former letter. The Secretary of War asked me what I thought to be necessary, to which I replied that our troops, First Cavalry, ought to have carbines (as they were only armed with pistols and sabers), and that I desired the posts on the plains in Kansas and Nebraska to be strengthened as much as he could do by springtime. He promptly told me we should have the carbines, and they were accordingly to be sent out at once. They have arrived since the hostilities commenced this spring, having been detained on the way all winter by bad weather or other cause of delay.
    Having no militia organization that is serviceable for other than neighborhood defenses, and they only in the more densely [populated] settlements, mostly in the mountains and on settlements that are exposed on the plains, being scattered along the streams, in single tiers of houses, from 2 to 4 miles apart for hundreds of miles along the South Platte and Arkansas Rivers and their tributaries, it is perfectly out of the question for them to be collected on the headwaters of the Republican and Smoky Hill Forks of the Kansas River. The depredations have commenced precisely as foretold in my communications to the Departments last fall. From information I have just received from old Indian traders and from Indians within a few days I feel assured that the Sioux Indians that reside in this Territory and the band of Arapahoes referred to have declined to join in the war as they were expected to do; but I have from the same sources of information, which I regard as reliable, learned that all of the Cheyennes, a most warlike and powerful tribe, with the Kiowas and Comanches, are allied and now carrying out their hellish purposes according to their agreement.
    That they are in strong force on the plains I have no doubt, and if the U. S. troops are withdrawn I feel confident that they will wipe out our sparse settlements in spite of any home force we could muster against them. The troops have had several skirmishes with them, and at Cedar Ca�on Major Downing gave a party of them a severe chastisement; but what has been done, the traders who know them well say, has only whetted their appetite for revenge, and has by no means subdued them. Unless a force can be sent out to chastise this combination severely and at once the delay will cost us a

long and bloody war and the loss of a great many lives, with untold amounts of property. Our lines of communication, our main dependence for subsistence out here, will be plundered and the trains will be driven off the route in consequence of these dangers. The consequence to a people remote as we are from any supplies you can imagine for yourself, and I trust understand.
    In the name of humanity, I ask that our troops now on the border of Kansas may not be taken away from us, just as they have been specially prepared to defend us by the Government and at the time of our greatest need of their services since the settlement of the country. I ask, as the best protection to our settlements and the best economy to the Government, that at least half of the regiment go up from their present place of rendezvous on the Arkansas River, which is not very far from the Indian's haunts on the Smoky Hill and Republican, and chastise them severely until they give up hostilities, and I make these requests, feeling as deep an interest in the suppression of the infernal rebellion against the Government as any other man, and also feeling as ready to send out for that purpose every available man at this most trying time in the history of our country. I do it, too, entirely independent of any political or personal considerations. If the permission for the expedition asked for is granted please telegraph me, and I will do my best to co-operate along the line of the settlements and the stage route by distributing arms to the ranchmen for their own defense under our militia regulations.
    I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                                               JOHN EVANS,
                                                    Governor of Colorado Territory.

                                                    EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
                                                Denver, November 9, 1863.
Colonel J. M. CHIVINGTON,
        Commanding District of Colorado:
    SIR: I have the honor to inclose copies of two communications received at this office in reference to difficulties with the Indians; also a copy of a report from Major Loree, U. S. Indian agent, near Fort Laramie; also a letter from John Smith, U. S. Indian interpreter for the Upper Arkansas Agency, addressed to Major Colley, agent; also his letter transmitting the same. As these reports are from reliable parties, I deem it prudent to give copies of them for your information. Some of the bands referred to have been greatly dissatisfied, and a failure to secure a council with a portion of them, which was directed at Washington, makes more probable these reports. As the combination would be formed for mischief it is hoped that our defenses may be adequate to the emergency. A knowledge of the removal of a portion of our troops which marched to Kansas City last week will enhance the danger. I hope our forces may not be weakened further at present. I have sent for the man North referred to, and also the chiefs of the Arapahoes, and will advise you of the result of my conference with them, if one is obtained.
    I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                                       JOHN EVANS,
                  Governor Colo. Ter. and ex officio Supt. Indian Affairs.

                                    EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
                                        Denver, November 10, 1863.
Honorable W. P. DOLE,
           Commissioner Indian Affairs:
        SIR: I have the honor to report the following statement of a Mr. North on the subject of Indian hostilities, made to me this day, viz:

    Having recovered an Arapaho prisoner, a squaw, from the Utes, I obtained the confidence of the Indians completely. I have lived with them from a boy, and my wife is an Arapaho. In honor of my exploit in recovering the prisoner the Indians recently gave me a "big medicine dance" about 55 miles below Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas River, at which the leading chiefs and warriors of several of the tribes of the plains met. The Comanches, Apaches, Kiowas, the northern band of Arapahoes, and all of the Cheyennes, with the Sioux, have pledged one another to go to war with the whites as soon as they can procure ammunition in the spring. I heard them discuss the matter often and the few of them who opposed it were forced to be quiet and were really in danger of the loss of their lives.
    I saw the principal chiefs pledge to each other that they would shake hands and be friendly with the whites until they procured ammunition and guns, so as to be ready when they strike. Plundering to get means has already commenced, and the plan is to commence the war at several points in the sparse settlements early in the spring. They wanted me to join them in the war, saying that they would take a great many white women and children prisoners, and get a heap of property, blankets, &c. But while I am connected with them by marriage and live with them I am yet a whiter man, and which to avoid bloodshed. There are a great many Mexicans with the Comanche and Apache Indians, all of whom urge on the war, promising to help the Indians themselves, and that a great many more Mexicans would come up from New Mexico for the purpose in the spring.

    I received letters from Major S. G. Colley, U. S. Indian agent for the Upper Arkansas, and from Major Loree, U. S. Indian agent for the Upper Platte Agency, as well as other corroboration of these statements, which were also sent forward with them.
                                                           JOHN EVANS,
                                             Governor of Colorado Territory.

                                        HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF COLORADO,
                                                         Denver, May 28, 1864.
Major C. S. CHARLOT,
        Asst. Adjt. General, Dept. of Kans., Fort Leavenworth, Kans.:
    MAJOR: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a letter received from Lieutenant George S. Eayre, Independent Battery, Colo-

rado Volunteer Artillery, of the 1st instant; also a dispatch from Major O'Brien, commanding at Cottonwood. I have some fears that the latter has reference to Lieutenant George S. Eayre, First Independent Battery, Colorado Volunteer Artillery, with one section of the battery, two mountain howitzers, and 40 men, Company D, First Cavalry of Colorado, who went out from here on the 24th day of April, 1864, in pursuit of Indians (Cheyennes) who stole Irwin, Jackman & Co.'s cattle.
    I instructed him to report by couriers until he was near to Lyon or Larned which he did up to the 1st day of May, since which time I have heard nothing from him, but felt no uneasiness until now, for the reason that high water has caused great irregularity of mails, particularly from the south. I telegraphed to Major O'Brien to give any information he could, also send by courier to Fort Lyon for any information they had of the whereabouts of Lieutenant Eayre's command. These Indians I fear are going to give our settlements a bad time this season. Most of the First Cavalry of Colorado are now on the march for the southeast corner of this district, and all but two companies are under orders for the same destination. One company is left at Fremont's Orchard and one at Fort Garland.
        I am, sir, with much respect, your obedient servant,
                                                     J. M. CHIVINGTON,
                                                Colonel, Commanding District.

                              CAMP FILLMORE, COLO. TER., May 28, 1864
Lieutenant J. S. MAYNARD,
        A. A. A. G., Dist. of Colorado, Denver City, Colo. Ter.:
    SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have just received from Major Wynkoop an order for this company to march without delay and report to the commanding officer at Fort Lyon for duty. The major says:

    I have received information that Lieutenant Eayre's command have nearly all been killed by the Cheyenne Indians at some place over on Smoky Hill Fork. I have already used all the means in my power to ascertain the correctness of the report and know not what moment I may be obliged to start with a large command to his assistance.

Source:

United States. War Dept., United States. Record and Pension Office., United States. War Records Office., et al., "Red River Campaign," The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Prepared by The late Lieutenant Colonel Robert N. Scott, Third U. S. Artillery, Published Under the Direction of The Honorable Redfield Proctor, Secretary of War, By Major George B. Davis, U. S. A., Mr. Leslie J. Perry, Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, Board of Publication. Series I-Volume XXXIV-In Four Parts. Part IV-Correspondence, Etc. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1891. pp. 97-102.