waiting to send to me. On receiving your letter I started immediately and traveled night and day till I reached Fort Larned. The reason no field officers accompanied the troops was that Major Anthony, who had been selected to do so, was sick and expected to be able to follow the next coach, and desired very much that I would not send another, on the score of his being just then unable to go. Captain Hardy, Company M, was absent on leave by yourself; Captain Cook, Company F, under arrest by your order; Captain Shaffer, Company A, is on General Butler's staff by order of the Secretary of War, and the lieutenants are on Staff duty, except Lieutenant Shoup, who was attending as a member of the State Constitutional Convention at Denver, but is now after a band of Texans or Confederate guerrillas, and it was fortunate that he was here to send in their pursuit, for he is pre-eminently the best man for such service I know of. I assure you, general, that I have not spent an hour nor gone a mile to attend to other matters than my command. My return from Lyon to Denver was caused by terror and alarm created by the Indian massacre in that neighborhood, and at the earnest request of all concerned in the peace and quiet of the whole Territory. I shall continue to give unremitting attention to my duties of a military character, having before I received your letter declined publicly to make a canvass of the Territory for State constitution, or for my own election to Congress as a member or delegate, for both of which I have been nominated. If representations have been made to the contrary, and you cannot come out yourself, a member of your staff could see by visiting this district who are true and who are false in their statements. Should be pleased to receive a visit from some one of them, and more than pleased to receive one from yourself, and in this last all our people join. Lieut. Col. S. F. Tappan, Maj. J. Downing, and Lieut. J. S. Maynard leave here in the morning of to-morrow for Leavenworth as witnesses on court-martial. Officers are scarce, and I hope they will not be detained long. They will be able to give you any further information in regard to this district you may desire.
        I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                                    J. M. CHIVINGTON,
                Colonel First Cavalry of Colorado, Commanding District.

Source:

United States. War Dept., United States. Record and Pension Office., United States. War Records Office., et al., "Price's Missouri Expedition," The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Published Under the Direction of the Honorable Daniel S. Lamont, Secretary of War. By Major George B. Davis, U. S. Army, Mr. Leslie J. Perry, Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, Board of Publication. Series I-Volume XLI-In Four Parts. Part II-Correspondence, Etc. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1893. pp. 613-614.