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  They expressed a desire to cease all hostilities and go upon their reservation and their willingness to come in and join the Arapahoes, with their consent, move with them to their reservation and remain there quietly until the terms of their surrender shall be made known to them by the Departmental Commander.  I agreed to allow them to pursue this course guaranteeing them protection meanwhile and promising to see that [strike] they were properly fed.
    This band numbers at present sixty-seven lodges and their camp is about twenty miles distant at the head of the main Cache CK.  They give an account of their recent movements and [strike "an account of their recent movements and"] the first definite information received here of General Custer's operations, in substance as follows:

When Gen'l. Custer went up the North bank of Red River to Mulberry Creek, the Cheyennes were on the head of the Clear Fork of the Brazoes at the camp mentioned in my letter of the 18th Mch. awaiting the result of the mission of the Comanche and Kiowa Chiefs to the military authorities in New Mexico. {strike paragraph]

  From that point the Cheyennes moved North and while  encamped on the upper Washita about the middle of March Gen'l Custer reached their lodges.  That officer with two men arrived at their camp several hours ahead of his command upon the approach of the latter their   [strike paragraph; overwritten with following]

   About the middle of March, Genl. Custer reached the main Cheyenne camp, at the head of the Washita accompanied by only two or three men.   Several hours afterward his command approached and the Cheyenne women became frightened, packed up and prepared for flight, but upon his declaring himself to be on a mission of Peace [underline] only, the men succeeded in keeping their people quiet and the General was hospitably entertained. He camped his command near by and when about forty of the chiefs and head men of the tribe were visiting him, he caused them to be surrounded by troops and attempted to capture them,- but the Indians made a dash and most of them passed the guards, so that Gen'l. Custer secured only three.  He then notified the Cheyennes that he would attack them at once with his command (which they represent as nearly all on foot) but for their having no white female captives; on their account he would wait and if the women were given up he would release the three chiefs and not attack but unless they were given up he should hang the chiefs at the next sunrise and then attack.   The two women (captured last fall, north of the Smoky Hill) were taken to him that night but altho' he did not attack, he refused after receiving the women, to release the chiefs and told the Cheyennes then that he would not do so until their whole tribe reached Camp Supply.  Gen'l. Custer then moved on taking with him the three prisoners whose names are given as "Lean Mare", "Little Bear" and a half brother to "Big Head".
    The Cheyennes assert positively that their tribe nearby all in one body were moving up with the intention of surrendering at Camp Supply, and that but for General Custer they would have been there during the last full moon, - but that at a council held after his departure the opinion was general that they had been so wronged and [strike two words ] deceived by him that it was doubtful how they would be received at Camp Supply, and it was therefore decided not to go there.
    The tribe then scattered, "Little Robe" and Minimic coming here with their followers; while the rest in small parties were at least accounts moving up the Canadian towards Fort Bascom hunting the buffalo.    "Little robe" states however, that he has heard noting of the rest of his tribe since before the last full moon (about march 20th), but finding all well here he will at once endeavor to communicate with them, and induce them to join him on his way to their reservation.