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meet Colonel MacKenzie, driving towards him any Indians in this part of the country, or catching those he might drive towards me.
I deemed it best, in order to leave myself free to move to the Washita or North Fork, on account of Excessively high water, to keep up the divide between the two rivers. The time from the 12th. to the 21st. inclusive was occupied in travelling up the divide between the North Fork and the Washita, while both rivers were swept by scouts from my command ---- 40 miles width of country being thus Examined. On the 17th. my scouts captured a Kiowa Mexican of Lone Wolf's band with 3 head of stock, evidently sent in to get information. On the 21st. Septbr. I received information from Lieut. Pratt that he had found Capt. Bristol's camp of Col. Miles' command on the Sweetwater, and that he was out of provisions.
I started on the morning of the 22nd. to take over beef, bacon and flour to Captain Bristol, and sent scouts over to the Washita to inform Col. Miles of my whereabouts. He kindly met me at Capt. Bristol's camp in the Evening of this day, but I learned nothing to change my plan of moving along the Edge of the Staked Plains to meet Colonel MacKenzie, or find lodge trails. I endeavored to get supplies from Col. Miles, but he needed everything for his own column and expressed doubts of my getting what I needed even at Camp Supply.
The column was allowed rest on the 23rd. to wash up and refit. On the 24th. I marched up and crossed the North Fork, sending Lieut. Pratt and scouts, with a detachment of my Regiment, to search thoroughly the heads of the North Fork of the two branches of McClellan Creek. During his scout he captured a Cheyenne warrior of some mark, who with the Kiowa before mentioned was ironed and brought with us. This Cheyenne was one one of a small party from the Cheyenne Agency, carrying news and provisions of coffee and sugar to the hostile camps, which he said he was looking for and had not been
able to find. These two men are conversant with the country and will be of use in operations on the Staked Plains. Their capture confirmed a suspicion I had, that there was constant communication between the so-called friendly Indians and the hostiles.
From the 24th. to the 29th. was occupied in marching along the Edge of the Staked Plains to the breaks of Mulberry Creek, and Red River in and through some of the most broken country I ever saw in all my long experience upon the Plains. On the 28th. Capt. Carlton with five Companies of the 10th Cavalry was detached from the breaks of Mulberry, to march to Red River and ascertain if anything could be heard or seen of