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January 6, 1867. Entered upon my duties as Post Adjutant this morning after attending stables for Companies K and M; drilled Company K two hours, mounted, this forenoon. The Paymaster paid all the companies this afternoon. Campany M's stables caught fire in the saddler's room this evening and burnt up my double harness, saddle and bridle and over $100 worth of my traps. Major Burbank and Mr. Beebe, his clerk, are guests of Captain Mix. Dr. Latham, Captain Mix, Major Burbank, Mr. Beebe, Wentworth (the scout) and I, with ten enlisted men as an escort and a sixmule wagon, went on a buffalo hunt yesterday. Captain Mix killed two, Mr. Beebe one, Wentworth five, I only one, bringing back the wagon loaded all within three hours from the time we left the post. Captain Norwood returned from Fort Laramie, relieved me from command of his company today and started with it for Fort Laramie. I have to attend to all the calls, stables, guardmount, drills, etc., and go on duty as Officer of the Day in addition to my duties as Post Adjutant.

January 13, 1867.

They had a lively time today. Colonel Neill sent word to Captain Mix that he was going to take command of the post. He broke his close arrest by going to his first sergeant and trying to get him to fall his company in line to arrest Captain Mix. I was ordered to put him back in his quarters, when he rushed into the sutler's store, where he backed up in the corner of the room with two loaded revolvers, threatening to shoot any person who dared to molest him. I marched the sergeant of the guard and two men into the room and took a loaded revolver in my hand, intending to get Colonel Neill to his quarters dead or alive, and just as the Colonel and I were about to shoot at each other Dr. Latham rushed in and sang out: "Colonel Neill, I have something important to tell you," and walked up to him. They were soon on their way to his quarters admiring the Colonel's pistols, which the Doctor managed to get possession of. I at once placed two guards over the Colonel in his quarters and took possession of his revolvers.

January 15, 1867.

Governor Cummings of Colorado and Major Lewis Thompson, Second Cavalry, his military secretary, arrived yesterday. The Major is my guest. Colonel Neill having sobered up a little and given his word to Captain Mix that he would not give further trouble, the guard was taken off. Reports of a large war party of Indians being hear came to the post during the day. I am ready to go for them with three companies, and can be on the march within five minutes after receiving orders.

Captain Dewees, Lieutenants Cahill and Neill left today for Fort Laramie with their command. Three better officers than they cannot be found in our Army. Captain Mix sent me with a sergeant and ten men to Julesburg this afternoon after a band of robbers who had broken in and stolen a lot of goods from one of the stores there, but had gotten away before I got there, going northwest with hundreds of dollars' worth of goods. I am in command of the post in Captain Mix's absence.

January 16, 1867.

Captain Mix gave me orders to assume command of Companies B and D, Eighteenth Infantry. Have been kept busy all day.

Meig's Ranch, D. T., January 21, 1867.

Orders came yesterday afternoon to take four six-mule wagons and twenty-five men of my company, proceed to an old cañon fifty miles from the post and take possession of a large amount of stolen goods reported to be there and capture the robbers if possible. I left the post at daybreak, and in crossing the Platte river the wagon broke through the ice. I was detained four hours, and am now camping out in a very cold snowstorm without wood or anything to burn, even to make coffee. Mr. Hughes, owner of the ranch, has kindly let us have the use of his fireplace to cook what coffee we need, but cannot give us any further comfort.

Pole Creek, Twenty Miles from

Laramie Ranch, January 22, 1867. During last night, just as I had gotten half asleep under my blanket in the snow, the sergeant of the guard reported that he believed a party of Indians were trying to break into the camp. Quietly having all the men placed under arms, with instructions not to let an Indian or robber get away alive, I went to the outpost and soon heard my name called in English, and Sergeant Widman reported with twenty-five men, handing me the following letter:

Headquarters Fort Sedgwick, C. T.,

Lieut. G. A. Armes,

Second U. S. Cavalry:

January 23, 1867.

Sir-I send you a wagon loaded with forage and rations, about four days each, also your saddle horse Ranger, some bandages and lint. You must not take your wagons too far in a fight. They would ruin you. Leave them at a safe place. When you get near the Indians, use your own judgment, always keeping in mind that your horses have much hard work to do after this trip. I cannot spare you any more men, for we must keep enough here to protect the post and keep matters quiet around us. I think you have men enough to fight all the Indians that you are likely to meet. At all events you must do the best you can with the men at your disposal. Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,
J. Mix, Captain,

(Signed)

Commanding Post.

I sent a sergeant back to the post with a request that at least fifty more men be sent to me, as some forty or fifty men who were sent to Laramie, coming to Sharp's Woods, were surrounded by Indians and almost starved out. One man had ventured out and got to me with this information. Not waiting for reinforcements, I started out at three o'clock this morning in the snowstorm with fifty-five men and five wagons for the wood-choppers' camp, about forty miles up in the cañons. I halted at eight this morning at Lewis' Ranch on Pole creek, and at nine o'clock was again on the march to rescue the citizen wood-choppers. We had not marched more than twenty miles when a band of Indians came dashing at us. I at once had my wagons parked and left them in charge of the teamsters and ten soldiers. Then I deployed my men, placing Lieutenant Jenness in command of the left, and charged the Indians, who wheeled and ran over the hills into the deep ravine full of snow, my little command after them, firing our

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carbines, yelling and making as much noise as we could. After a chase of three miles the Indians disappeared, and all we got was one Indian pony with a war-bag full of dried meat, saddle and bridle, bow and quivers, shield and a number of Indian trinkets, with six or seven head of cattle they had just stolen and driven

from the wood-choppers' camp, which is only ten miles further on. My scout thinks all the men have been murdered, and that the Indians are making for the village with the stolen stock, so I will not wait for reinforcements, but go forward tonight and search the camp if possible. The snow is over a foot deep on a level, and five and six feet deep in the cañons. I first sent in a request to the post to hurry me forward more men if possible, stating that I will go forward tonight, and that one of my men was killed or captured by the Indians, but I lost no time in spite of the suffering of myself and men. If it had not been for the assistance of Lieutenant Jenness I hardly believe one of us would have been left, but he helped to cheer the men forward and charge when, judging by the large band of Indians, it was hopeless.

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Pole Creek Crossing, Lewis' Ranch, D. T., January 24, 1867. After taking the captured cattle and ponies to the wagon camp we got a little coffee and something to eat. No signs of reinforcements coming, we started for the wood camp, about twenty miles northwest in the mountains, which we reached about ten o'clock last night in the midst of one of the coldest Dakota blizzards I ever experienced. The Indians who had been holding the woodchoppers prisoners scattered the moment the little command was

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