True copy. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH MITITARY DEPARTMENT, San Antonio, July 28, 1850. GEO. DEAS, Assistant Adjutant General. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, GENERAL: I have the honor to forward the within petition from the citizens of Corpus Christi, which I really believe to be very nearly a true statement of their situation. I propose to send the two companies of the 5th infantry (now temporarily detained here in consequence of the numerous parties of Indians who have lately committed several murders and the most serious depredations in the immediate neighborhood of this city, on the Cibolo and Salado, and destroyed the ranchos between this and Victoria) to Corpus Christi, and establish a garrison in that town. The whole country appears to be filled with these savages, and, in fact, the common roads cannot be travelled without an escort. I have been compelled, from necessity, to continue in service the four mounted companies of volunteers for six months longer; and, if things remain as they now are, I am fearful that I shall have to increase this kind of force. I have not been able to mount one-half of the regular infantry, as allowed, even in the reduced state of the companies; and, when recruits are received, making the companies eighty-four rank and file, it will be still more difficult, as it is very nearly impossible to procure good horses in Texas, whilst the prices (knowing that they are required for the United States) are exceedingly high. I would strongly recommend that a large number of horses be purchased at once for this department in Kentucky and Tennessee, where they are much better and cheaper. Tennessee horses are believed to be the best. I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, GEO. M. BROOKE, To Major General Brooke, commanding, San Antonio : We, the citizens of Corpus Christi and vicinity, respectfully represent that, in consequence of the unprecedented outrages and depredations upon the lives and property of our fellow-citizens and ourselves lately cominitted, and still being committed, in this vicinity, and the want of horses, arms, ammunition, and means to buy them, which has been occasioned by the interruption of all business here by danger from Indians; and because this is the natural position from which to send out scouts to arrest the Indians which may be committing their nefarious deeds; and because all the reports and information of the ludians below here, and on all the principal roads leading from here to the Rio Grande, including all the country back of here, arrive at this place before they can be communica ted to any of the military companies as they are now stationed-therefore, we believe it but just and proper to ask that a company of well-mounted men be stationed at this point, to be ready at any moment to pursue the Indians, whenever tidings of their being in the country reaches here; that such an arrangement would greatly aid the military service. As it is now, the Indian news first arriving here, before it can be despatched to any of the companies, and aid arrive, the Indians have time and opportunity to be out of reach of all danger of being overtaken. We therefore respectfully ask that the commanding general station such a force of wellmounted men here as shall to him seem necessary and proper, in view of all the circumstances and conditions. The undersigned also request the company stationed here should be as soon as possible. CHAS. W. BLACKWELL, JAMES R. BARNARD, THOMAS S. PARKER, J. W. KINNEY, and 34 others. True copy. H. L. KINNEY, HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, GEO. DEAS, Assistant Adjutant General. [Extract.] ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, September 20, 1850. GENERAL: Your letter of the 15th August has been laid before the General in chief and Secretary of War; and the Quartermaster General has been instructed, in accordance with your recommendation, to purchase horses for the eighth department so soon as he shall be in funds. With respect to the ordering the two companies of the 5th regiment (whose headquarters are at Fort Gibson) to Corpus Christi, it is proper to remark that, according to the general rule, it would have been better if these two companies had remained near their colors, rather than that contiguous lines occupied by other regiments should have been broken. The convenience and other considerations of the service require that the companies of the same regiments should, when practicable, occupy unbroken lines, so as to avoid any unnecessary increase of distance in communicating with the colors, &c. Great negligence is observed in the volunteers in Texas in respect to the muster-rolls and returns required by the regulations and the rules and articles of war. They have not furnished either during the entire period of their service. You will please to have this omission corrected for the future, and the back muster-rolls and returns due forwarded, without unnecessary delay, to the Adjutant General's office. I am, general, &c., &c., R. JONES, Adjutant General. Brevet Major General GEO. M. BROOKE, HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, GENERAL: I have the honor to forward the reports of Brevet Lieut. Col. Hardee and Major Blake, 2d dragoons, and other officers, of the several scouts which have been made by my direction in this department. You will observe that, although not successful in every instance, it is believed that much good will result from them-particularly that of Brevet Lieut. Col. Hardee. These scouts have been performed with great labor and privation, and have afforded me much satisfaction in the energy and industry with which they have been executed. You will also receive "orders" No. 39, in reference to a general scout throughout the entire department, to take place simultaneously from each post on the 15th proximo. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. M. BROOKE, To Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, Brevet Major General. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the opera tions of troops under my command in a campaign against the Indians, made in obedience to "orders" No. 27, of June 4, 1850. On the receipt of your order, I concentrated Captain Oakes's company, 2d dragoons, and Captain Wallace's company, Texas volunteers, at Fort Inge; and, on the 23d of the same month, made the following disposition for a combined movement on Fort Merrill: I directed Captain Oakes to move down the left bank of the Rio Frio; Wallace to move down the right bank of the Nueces; while I moved, in person, between these rivers, crossing the Nueces about 25 miles from Fort Merrill. At the same time, I sent a detachment of Wallace's company, under Lieutenant Brady, direct to Loredo, with instructions to the mounted company at that post to examine the country north of the San Antonio and Loredo road; while Brady was directed to examine the country south of the same road, and to report at Fort Merrill. The mounted company at Loredo was ordered to return to its post after making the scout above indicated. Cakes reached Fort Merrill on the 3d July, Wallace and myself on the 5th, and Brady on the 9th. No Indians or recent signs of Indians were seen by either of these columns. Captain Grumbles, who had been directed to make a scout to Arkansas bay and Refugio and report to me at Fort Merrill, informed me, in writing, that he had not been able to make this scout, on account of excessive rains. I immediately ordered a part of his command, under Lieutenant Gouch, to the mouth of the Cibolo, to protect the settlements on the San Antonio, while I directed Lieutenant Bagby and thirty men to join me for active service. On the 8th of July, news having reached me that the Indians had committed depredations near Corpus Christi, I immediately despatched Captain Wallace to the point specified, with directions to take up the trail and to follow the Indians wherever they might go. At the same time, I despatched Captain Oakes across the country to Loredo, in the hope that he might intercept their trail, should the Indians have gone above. By Captain Oakes I forwarded orders to the companies on the Rio Grande, giving such instructions for scouts as to insure a combined movement of all the troops under my command. Wallace returned to Fort Merrill without finding the Mexican who was reported to have been killed, or without seeing any signs of Indians. Oakes, after following a trail of Indians for two days, came upon a camp of a small party of Indiaus on the 11th. He succeeded in killing two, and in capturing twentyone horses, one mule, with a number of saddles, bows, arrows, &c.— leaving the Indians who escaped in a perfectly destitute condition. On the 18th July, the troops under my command were directed to make the following scouts, concentrating at Fort McIntosh: Captain Granger, 1st infantry, with a detachment of Captain Grumbles's company, under Lieut. Bagby, was directed to move on Loma Blanca, from which point they were to divide the former to return to Fort Merrill by the way of the settlements on the Aqua Dulce and the Oso, while Lieutenant Bagby was directed to move through the country to Fort McIntosh; Wallace was directed to move up the Nueces to Espantosa lake; Brady to move through the country by the most direct route to Fort McIntosh; while I was to reach the same point by passing up the Nueces. Ford, who was at the San Antonio Welis, made a scout on the Rio Grande; while Captain Oakes and Lieutenant Holabird made scouts respectively to the south and north of the Loredo and San Antonio road. In connexion with this movement, and at my request, scouts were sent out from Ringgold Barracks and Fort Duncan in the direction of Loredo-so that ten columns, each column. pursuing a different direction, were moving simultaneously between the Nueces and Rio Grande. In this movement, Captain Ford pursued and drove a small party of Indians across the Rio Grande: they barely reached the opposite bank in time to save themselves. Captain Wallace, in the execution of orders, met with a considerable body of Indians on the left bank of the Nueces: they attacked him, and in the encounter Wallace reports to have killed seven Indians, wounded nine, and to have had three of his own command wounded. None of the other parties met with Indians. I reached Loredo on the 27th, and, as soon as I could get my command together, I made arrangements for another movement across the country. I directed Captain Oakes to move down the San Roque to the Nueces, and from thence to proceed through the country to his post on the Rio Seco. I directed Captain Ford to pass down on the right, and Lieut. Walker, the 1st lieutenant of his company, to pass down on the left bank of the Raices. Lieutenant Brady was ordered to examine the country about the Great Comanche crossing on the Nueces, to pass that stream, examine the Frio, and to join me at Fort Merrill. Lieutenant Underwood was directed to scout about the junction of the Nueces and Frio, to examine the right bank of the former river for about sixty miles, to make a circle to his left, and to return to his post by way of the Laguna Trinidad. With Lieutenant Bagby and my own command, I left Fort McIntosh to examine the country below, extending from the lower Alburque to Corpus Christi. Captain Oakes was again fortunate in finding a small party of Indians. He killed three and captured a number of horses, &c., but, I regret to say, was himself severely wounded. Lieutenant Tyler, of my company, who had been left at Fort Inge during my absence, on learning that the Indians fought by Captain Wallace had not probably left the lower country, united a part of his command with that of Captain McCown, and went out in pursuit of them. He overtook them on the Nueces, about eighty miles above the Leona. The Indians were thirty strong, and advantageously posted. He charged them gallantly, at the head of ten men, killed two, wounded some, and dispersed the remainder. Much booty, consisting of horses, shot-pouches, &c., was left in the hands of the victors. Before arriving at Corpus Christi, at the Pero Chalco, I met Lieutenant Bagby in the direction of the coast, while I went in person direct to that point. After resting a few days at Corpus Christi, I again left that place, with a view of making a thorough examination of the country in the neighborhood. On the 20th, I despatched Lieutenant Bagby to examine to the Oso, the Alazan to the coast, thence to the San Gertrude, and up that river to Fort Merrill. On the 21st, I left to examine the Aqua Dulce, the Presenos, the Olmos, the Laquarta, and the Ramariania. I reached Fort Merrill on the 27th, Lieutenant Bagby on the 26th. Neither of us discovered any Indians, or recent signs of Indians. On the 31st, I left Fort Merrill for Fort Inge, in obedience to your order, to resume the command of that post. I reached Fort Inge on the 6th of September. The country between the Nueces and the Rio Grande, extending from Wool's road to the coast, is for the most part a barren prairie, with but little water and timber. A portion of this country is entirely destitute of water, and in other parts it is only to be found in water-holes, sometimes at great distances, difficult to find, and not always furnishing an abundant or a good supply. The absence of shade trees rendered the heat very oppressive at times. The thermometer ranged from 94 to 107 in the shade: and this heat was the more sensibly felt, as my men and horses were sometimes from 24 to 36 hours without water. The Indians disperse themselves over this country in small bands, prowl around the settlements, awaiting a favorable moment to murder and rob, and, having accomplished their object, they speedily cross the Rio Grande and elude pursuit, or fly with speed to their homes in the upper country. It is difficult, nay, impossible, to overtake and punish any of the parties, when they become aware of pursuit. If in danger of being overtaken, they scatter, and, each pursuing a different route to some remote point, they effectually baffle the skill of the most experienced trailers. My object has been, as far as circumstances. would permit, to push my scouts through unfrequented parts of the |