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Col. Davidson reached here day before yesterday. His Command will be in to-day, but not in time to give you a report of its condition, except that the horses are badly up and there are three comparatively fresh Companies of Cavalry at the post. Them I shall send out in a few days with supplies for December. They will go North of North Fork of Red River, probably along the line of the Washita and towards the Canadian; and generally were there may be a chance of finding Indians. I am more than ever satisfied that the views expressed in my last letter of withdrawing the troops during January and February is advisable. We have pretty reliable information that the Ina-ha-di Comanches and some of the Kiowas - there are but about eighty Kiowa men absent - and even some of the Cheyennes have gone to the Pecos and to the Guadalupe Mountains. This will leave but very few Indians out, and they, with but few horses and those much broken down - not of sufficient importance to warrant breaking down our own mules and horses pursuing the. By the last of February we can be in good condition for taking the field again. I believe the Indians will then be worse off, evern than they now are, while our troops will be fresh as well as our animals. Col. Davidson informs me, as also other officers, that the water in McClellan's Creek at low water, such as it was when they were last there, is very bad, while that on the North Fork opposite was good. This will have to be considered in selecting ground for the Camp. Do you propose to have merely a cantonment, or to build a permanent post? Of the Indian Stock turned over to the Qr. Mr. Dep't. here, a great many have died from exposure and many have been killed. There are only about nine hundred remaining and those in wretched condition. I have directed the Qr. Mr. to advertise them for sale on 15th of next month. We had a severe snowstorm here, night before last and snow was on the ground all the day after. Poor animals, like ours, cannot stand many of such storms. There are about eighty Indians confined here, a great majority of them are innocent probably of [strike] for many years back, but hardly any but have connected with stealing parties, though it is doubtful if legal proof of even this can be had. I have sent word to Kicking Bird of the Kiowas and to Cheever of the Comanches, that if they will have pointed out to me the men who were engaged in the murders committed the last summer, with proof of same, I will release the Indians [strike] balance. I have as yet had no reply. If none of these men can be convicted of their crimes, I shall recommend that all of them, who have heretofore been turbulent and troublesome and notoriously connected with raiding parties, be sent out of the Country for many years, and until matters here are permanently settled upon a basis, that their return would not be likely to disturb. I should suppose that the Dry Tortugas - or Ship Island would be a suitable residence for them. But whatever course is adopted for the, the same should be applied to the Cheyennes and all others, engaged