killed. They fled in every direction, losing large number of
horses, camp equipage, provisions, etc. On 8th instant, Colonel
Walker, commanding center column, who was in advance of Colonel Cole,
met Indians in large force. Colonel Cole came up and after a short but
spirited engagement they totally routed Indians, driving them in every
direction with great loss, several of principal chiefs being killed in
this fight. On the night of the 9th of September a severe snow-storm
raged, in which 400 of Colonel Cole's horses perished. I was in that
storm on Powder River. It was very severe, and I lost several animals.
Our total loss in all the engagements not more than fifty killed and
wounded, including one officer. Colonel Cole or Colonel Walker had not
communicated with General Connor and were on Powder River, but by this
time they have communicated, as they had ascertained where General
Connor's column was.

G. M. DODGE,

_Major-General_.

General Connor, in compliance with his orders, moved south from Fort
Connor to distribute at the different posts where they had been assigned,
the forces not ordered to be mustered out. As soon as he started south to
Fort Laramie the Indians followed him and swarmed immediately on the
overland routes, both the North and South Platte, reaching even as far as
the Arkansas, and committed great depredations. The troops along those
lines had been mustered out, and the regular-army force that was to take
their places had not arrived. It was a harvest for the Indians. In my
absence General Pope had assigned to the different districts regular-army
officers for permanent command. They were to take the places of the
volunteers. Under my instructions I immediately sent word to the Indians
to come to Fort Laramie for the purpose of a consultation. To accomplish
this I sent out the best-posted guides (using chiefs, sub-chiefs,
half-breeds of friendly Indians) that I knew on the plains, to each of the
hostile tribes asking them to come into Fort Laramie. I instructed the
messengers to tell them that if any of their people had gone to the
Missouri River for peaceable purposes to let them go, but to bring in all
that were left, providing they felt disposed to settle without delay. I
sent them word that if they did not come in and settle they would find
that our summer campaign was only a taste of what they would get this
winter, for we would g