.OTAy.NTY3ODQ

5

to Fort Defiance and Captain Gordon left on the 18th of December to meet him and escort him to the Post. He arrived on the 21st with the Indian Agent Collins. Colonel Miles ?? other officers was invited to attend the Council of Bonneville? and the Agent with the Navajo chiefs and Colonel Miles and his command were ignored out of existence when in a general order issued on the 25th by the Departmental Commander announced the conclusion of a treaty of peace, the principal officers commended were those who had been performing staff duty at Santa Fe during the war + over see next page The dispersions of the troops immediately began, "F" and "I" of the Rifles going to Fort Craig, "A" to Stanton, "C" to Fillmore?, "E" to Burgwin? and "G" and "H" to Union. The snow was now about four feet deep and the weather bitterly cold. There was a sadness felt at the departure of my friends one after another that could not be eliminated. Some of them I never saw again. The all involving and fateful Civil War wrought great changes with our relative rank? and army relations. and some of us met opposing armies. Only half a dozen of the whole number at Fort Defiance in '58 are even living. Dr. McKee is one of the survivors and to him under the Providence of God my restoration to health was due. And Whipple of