.MTAzMw.NjkxMTE

25

489 A. G. O. General E. D. Townsend, May 30, 1872. Adjutant General of the Army thro' Hdqrs. Mil. Div. of the Mo.,

General:

                 I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of may 20, 1872.  In reply, I respectfully enclose copies of the statements made by Polonio Ortiz, the person captured by Sergeant Wilson - one made at time of capture and one made subsequently.
                 From these it will be seen, that the depredators were from New Mexico and probably citizens of the United States.  Copies of these papers were forwarded as soon as received.
                 I have since had a party out verifying this man's statement, regarding the route, he claimed to have passed over as far as Mucha-que, and it has been verified to that point. 
                 I have an Expedition, now organizing under Colonel MacKenzie, to go still further on this route, with the hopes not only of breaking up this traffic and stealing, but at the same time to Keep the Indians from raiding along the Northern frontier of Texas.
                                                                        I am, very respectfully
                                                                         Your obdt. servant

2 Enclosures (Sgd.) C. C. Augur 1494. D. T.'72. Brigadier General

                                                                                Commanding

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 490 MO. MIL DIV. May 30, 1872. Colonel Jas. B. Fry Asst. Adjutant General Military Division of the Missouri Colonel,

                 I respectfully enclose for the information of the Lieut. General an additional statement of the New Mexican prisoner, Polonio Ortiz, regarding the North and Western-route across the Staked Plains.   The route, referred to by him, is believed to be the old route of the Santa Fe Expedition.  This Expedition was guided over by New Mexicans.   Would it not be well for Gregg, from his Camp on the Canadian, to make a Scout on this route, as far as head of Red river.   I enclose tracing of a map showing Capt. McLaughlin's scout to Mucha-que, as also of MacKenzie's scout of last year on the