EDITORS NEWS:--I have just returned from an Indian expedition, under command of Major E. W. Wynkoop, 1st Cav. of Col., the details of which may be of interest to the people of Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas. On the 3d inst., Lieut. Hawkins, who was en route to Denver with some troops of our reg't, whose term of service had expired, brought into the post, three Cheyenne Indians, (two men and one woman,) whom he met on the road a few miles above here. The Indians had in their possession a letter directed to Maj. Colley, Indian Agent, as also one directed to Col. Wm. Bent.
    These letters were signed by "Black Kettle" the principal chief of the Cheyennes, and other chiefs of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, who stated that they had some white prisoners who had been taken by war parties of their tribes on the "Platte Route", whom they were desirous of turning over to their friends, and making peace with the whites.
    Major Wynkoop, commanding Fort Lyon, held a council with the officers of the Post that evening in regard to the action that should be taken in the case, and concluded to rescue the prisoners, come what might. He immediately collected all the available force of the garrison, consisting of forty-six men of Co. "D" 1st Cav. of Col., under command of Capt. S. S. Soule, forty men of Co. "K" under command of Lieut. G. H. Hardin, and thirty-five men of Co. "K" under Lieut. Cramer, with Lieut. Phillips, as Adjutant. The Indians "One Eye" and "Memmick" (who were brought in by Lt. Hawkins,) acted as guides, with the assurance, that they would be killed at the first indication of treachery on their part.
    After leaving this post we traveled four days in a northeast direction, when we came across a body of Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians numbering about six hundred, who seemed to be willing to fight if that was what we wanted. We went into camp that night with a chain of sentinels around us, expecting an attack every moment. In the morning we moved toward them; they having sent their women off some twenty miles and arrayed their force in line of battle, in as good order apparently as old regular troops. We marched in line of battle with a party of skirmishers covering our front and flankers thrown out on our right and left and in the rear, expecting every moment that the ball would open; and it certainly would had not Major Wynkoop warned the chiefs that if they did not keep their warriors out of range he would open fire on them. We went into camp where the Indians had camped the night before, one of the branches of Smoky Hill, and sent word to the chief's of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes that we wished to hold council with them. They came into camp, about twenty Cheyennes and ten Arapahoe chiefs, with a guard of about thirty Indian soldiers.
    Maj. Wynkoop proposed that they give up all the white prisoners in their possession, which would show to the whites that they were desirous of making peace, and that the principal chiefs accompany him to Denver to hold council with Gov. Evans. He also told them that he was not a "big enough chief" to make peace with them, but he would pledge himself that they should be safely returned to their tribes, and that if they succeeded in making peace well and good, and if not that he would take pleasure in fighting them. They told their grievances, claiming that the whites were the aggressors in the troubles with their nations, but that they (the chief's) were desirous of making peace, and although they had been so often deceived by the whites, they would trust Maj. Wynkoop, and get all the prisoners together as soon as possible and give them up, and that the principal chiefs would accompany him to Denver.
    The next day the Arapahoes brought in a young girl named Laura Roper, who was taken near Oak Grove, on the Blue River, and two days after the Cheyennes brought in three children, marred Isabella Ubanks, a little girl about four years of age (who was taken on the same day with Miss Roper), Daniel Marble taken from a train on the South Platte, and Ambrose Ashley, taken in the same day as Miss Roper; both boys are about eight years old.
    There are two women and one child whom we did not succeed in getting, as they were with a tribe on the Republican over two hundred miles from us. One is Mrs. Ubanks, and the other Mrs. Morton, who was taken from a train on the south Platte.
    The chiefs say that they will go from Denver and get them. We have the principal chiefs of the Cheyennes with us whose names are "Black Kettle," "Bull Bear," "White Antelope," and "Little Robe." Of the Arapahoes we have "Neva," and three others whose names I do not remember. We are all well satisfied with our success, for if we had got into a fight I think none would have survived to tell the tale, for the Indians were very numerous. There were thirteen hundred lodges of Sioux within thirty miles of us, and we were surrounded by Indians on all sides. I think a command of one thousand men can get a fight there at any time.
    Great credit is due to Major Wynkoop for his coolness and energy on the trip; he has saved the lives of four whites, which, in my estimation, were better than the lives of a thousand savages! He, with one hundred and twenty men, went into the heart of the Indian country in the midst of five thousand hostile Indians, and it was a scratch that we ever got out of it.
    On our way to the fort we crossed sign of seven Kiowas, who had been within a few miles of the post very recently. I think there is a large body of them south of the Arkansas river. The Arapahoes say that they will fight with us against the Kiowas, as they had killed a sub chief of the Arapahoes near Fort Larned, and had left arrows and other Arapahoe signs at Walnut Creek, where a number of whites were massacred a few weeks ago, so as to make the whites think that they were connected with that war party.
    The Cheyennes and Arapahoes say that they have had communications from the rebels in Texas for some time, and that they tell them that the whites in Colorado want to take their hunting grounds from them, and take their squaws and every thing they have, and if the Indians will join them they will go with them and take Denver, and give the whole country to the Indians. I think there is no doubt but that these communications are going on between the Texans and Indians, and that there are whites among the Indians who are connected with the Southern army.
    The prisoners say that they have been treated as well as could be expected; the only complaint being that they had not enough to eat, although every thing was shared with them. These Indians are destitute of food, and when they get any, are apt to make one meal of it and then go without for two or three days, or until they come across game, which is very scarce in that country.
                                                Yours, &c.,
                                                                                        OLD TOM.

Source:

Old Tom, "Interesting News From The Indian Country," Daily Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Colorado, Saturday, 24 September, 1864, page 2.