Elusive Enemy

During the Civil War, the commanding general of the Department of Kansas had to contend and combat two elusive enemies. The first was the various forms of the Confederate Guerrillas in Missouri -- of which much has been written about in this column. The second, was the warring tribes of American Indians on the plains of Central and West Kansas and the Colorado Territory that was also part of the Department of Kansas. This column contains the after action report that describes the partially successful and frustrating pursuit of a band of "Cattle Stealing" Cheyenne Warriors. The report is located on Pages 880-882 in Vol. 34, Part I: Reports of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.

Camp Weld, Colorado, Terr., Apr. 23, 1864.

Sir: I have the honor to report herewith to submit the following report: Agreeably to Special Orders, No. --, dated Camp Weld, Colo. Terr, April 7, 1864, I reported to headquarters District of Colorado for orders and received instructions to proceed with a detachment of men in pursuit of some cattle purporting to have been stolen by the Cheyenne Indians. Absence of transportation prevented my starting until the 8th instant, when at 4 p.m., my command consisting of 54 men and two 12 pounder mountain howitzers of the Independent Battery Colorado Volunteer Artillery, Lieutenant Burdsal commanding and 26 men of Co. D, 1st Colorado Cavalry , Lieutenant Phillips commanding was put in motion. On the 9th I encamped on Running Creek 30 miles southeast of Denver. On the 11th, I camped on Beaver Creek, 80 miles southeast from Denver, where I was joined by one Routh (who had been herding the stolen cattle) in the capacity of guide. On the 12th, I crossed the dividing ridge between the waters of the Platte and Arkansas (Rivers) and encamped on the Big Sandy, a confluent of the latter. Forced to remain in camp on the 13th from a prevailing snow-storm. On the 14th moved 20 miles down the Sandy 7 encamped, having at this point struck a broad and distinct Indian trail directly northwest, evidently having with them, from the numerous tracks at least 100 head of cattle. I followed this trail on the 15th until I reached the headwaters of the republican, a tributary of the Kansas River, when I was informed by one of my scouts that an Indian village was on a defile about 1 mile in advance of me. I immediately halted my command and dispatched Lt. Phillips with two men to make inquiry of the Indians in relation to the stolen cattle. Ten minutes had not elapsed after their departure when one of the men came galloping up and informed me that the squaws were all mounted and leaving the village and that the warriors were approaching the command. I immediately put the column in motion and when passing through a defile an Indian was descried standing about 50 yards from the command. At this point, I ordered the artillery back to the transports, the nature of the ground being such as to prohibit its farther advance and divided my forces into squads of 10 men each, with instructions to scour the country for a distance on 10 miles. Taking 3 men with me, I proceeded to the village and found it entirely deserted, but containing immense supplies of beef and buffalo, dried and packed in the manner peculiar to the Indians; also a quantity of undressed buffalo robes, cooking utensils, powder, lead, beads and all the paraphernalia of a completely supplied Indian village, all of which I burned, except such articles essential for the use of the command and encamped on the ground. On the 15th, I continued my course northwest. During the day my transportation animals, which had been showing evident signs of exhaustion for 4 four days past, almost entirely failed, 1 mule dropping dead in harness and others lying down. I was compelled at all ravines to attach a rope to the tongue and draw the wagons over by hand, but succeeded in getting 15 miles, when coming to another village which had been deserted but a short time, I encamped and sent squads in pursuit on the trail. After following about 4 miles; robes, dried meats, lodges , lodge poles and all the various articles found at a first-class village were found strewn along the trail and ascertaining that the Indians had gone down the Republican (River), the scouts returned bringing with them 19 head of cattle, which the guide identified as being part of those which had been stolen.

On the morning of the 16th, I went with a party and collected and burned all the property which the Indians had thrown away in their hasty flight. My transportation consisted of 10 Espenchied's iron axle freighters, weight 2,000 pounds each and the condition of my mules were such that it was impossible to follow with it and the entire absence of grass forbade me following with my horses without some forage. I therefore deemed it prudent to return at once to Denver, make this report and submit the following: That the Cheyenne Indians are the ones who stole the cattle; that they mediate hostilities against the whites, from the fact of their having first fired upon the command; that they are now encamped upon the Republican, some 200 miles east of Denver; that the distance can be greatly lessened by going other than the usually traveled route; that light thimble-skein wagons are the best adapted to transport supplies through that portion of the country.

With these suggestions and an ardent desire, the district commander approving, to be ordered on a similar expedition.

I am, Colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

George S. Eayer

It is not known if Eayre received the command of another expedition. However, he did manage to learn a good bit of useful information about conducting a successful expedition against a very elusive enemy on the plains.