is had
been done, but no actual fighting or attacking of trains or troops
occurred until the winter of 1864-65. The stopping of these trains, mail,
and supplies, and the destruction of the telegraph wires, caused great
consternation in that country and on the Pacific Coast, and the demands
upon the Government to open and maintain these lines were persistent.

At Fort Leavenworth there appeared to have been no systematic effort to
reopen these lines. It seemed that the troops were taking care of the
posts and resisting attacks. They did not seem to appreciate the Indian
character; that the only way to strengthen and protect the lines of
communication was to go for the Indians. What troops had been sent against
the Indians were small and weak parties, and had evidently gone out with
the intention of locating the Indians and avoiding them.

Along the south emigrant line from Kansas City, following the Arkansas
River to New Mexico, was the line of supplies for all of New Mexico and
Southern Colorado. The Indians here were in possession. The travel and
traffic along it were not to be compared with that along the northern
lines. Then again the citizens of Kansas and Nebraska had settled along
these routes as far west as the 100th Meridian, obtaining their living
from this great traffic, and the Indians in their raids had picked them
up, a family at a time, until they had a great many prisoners, mostly
women and children, the men being generally massacred when captured.

I found the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry at Fort Riley, and the Sixteenth
Kansas Cavalry at Fort Leavenworth, and immediately placed them _en route_
for Fort Kearney. All the posts were, unfortunately, short of subsistence,
forage, and ammunition. The three-months' Regiments enlisted in Colorado
for the Indian service had been discharged, their time having expired, and
there had been no troops sent to take their places. My only resource was
to utilize the Colorado Militia until I could send troops 600 miles to
take their places.

I immediately started for Fort Kearney, taking with me a few soldiers in
the stage and one of my staff. It was the opinion of all the officers at
Fort Leavenworth that it would be impossible for me to make the trip, but
I knew it required personal presence among the troops to bring about quick
results. The troops that I had ordered to march from Fort Riley refused to
march in the winter. I answered to place under arrest all officers of t