FORT LYON, C. T., June 17, 1864.
Major Whitely:
    SIR:--Would it afford you any gratification to hear from this interesting place of unmitigated pleasure and intense misery? Well Fort Lyon seems like a nice place. The Arkansas River has overflowed her banks so that the laundresses had to move out on the prairie and we have to abandon our stables at present.
    The crop of musquitoes seems to be very large here this season and a number have nearly attained their growth, and seem to be a blood thirsty race and have no regard for rank, as Col. Chivington received a severe bite from one of the monsters last night, and your humble servant has many an honorable scar on his person received while bravely defending himself. Many of these animals attain to the size of sand hill cranes.
    Cook's train arrived here to-day, consisting of about fifteen wagons loaded with provisions and one barrel of anti-scorbutics, which is issued to the officers of the post at $1.25 per gallon, and the majority of them seem to be pleased.
    The Post is commanded by Major Wynkoop. Col. Chivington is here, also the District Inspector, Major Downing, who starts in the morning to inspect the troops at Camp Wynkoop, sixty-five miles below here, consisting of companies M and F. There are but two companies at this post at present,--Companies E and D. Company K is on escort and scouting duty. Company B, and Pollock's train of twenty-five wagons will probably arrive here to-morrow.
    A man belonging to Company M, named Jewett, was drowned to-night while bathing. We were unable to obtain the body.
    Dr. Tolles was taken sick to-day, but a guard was stationed over him to prevent him from taking some of his own medicine and he has recovered.
    Everyday we receive reports from the noble red man, informing us that there are from 5,000 to 1,000,000 Texans within fifty miles of us on the south side of the river, but as the river is so high, we have a dead sure thing that they cannot cross without pontoons and we are not scared much. I think there is no doubt that there is a band of robbers south of here, as two Mexican trains were taken on the road from Ft. Union last week by thirty men. They took the mules and harnesses and a large amount of money. This was done near the Cimmarron River.
    An officer of the 1st, has just invited me to take some anti-scorbutics for the scurvy. He has a canteen full and says he has tried it and it seemeth good. I accept his invitation and must close.
                                                        Yours, &c.,
                                                            PHERUNDE SNOOKTITIVEAKLE.

Source:

Snooktitiveakle, Pherunde, "Fort Lyon Correspondence," Weekly Commonwealth, Denver City, Colorado Territory, Wednesday, 22 June, 1864, page 2.