HOSTILITIES COMMEXCE. 



A companyj called tlie ^^ United States Express/' carrying 

 the United States mailsj had Lecn organised two years before, 

 'o run from Denver to the end of the railway advancing along 

 Lhe Smoky Hill River. Stage stations had been built along 

 -.his route, at distances of from twelve to eighteen miles apattj 

 sv^here the stock of the company was kept, and at which the 

 joaches changed horses* During the winter these coaches ran 



.^v>v,,. ^wx ^^^« ^ ^^^-^^O 



3retty regularly; but April had scarcely passed before the 

 stages and mail stations became the first though not the only 

 )bjects of attack. Eeports, one by one, came in to us from 

 :he West. 



On the night of April 30, Goose Creek Station was attacked, 

 he stock carried off, and three mules killed. 



On May the 9th, Monument Station, midway between Hayes 



ind Wallace, and Big Timbers Station, were simiiltaneonsly 



tttacked, while a third party "tried to burn Chalk Bluff 



station. I may add that as Big Timbers, twenty-five miles 



7cst of Fort Wallace, had been formerly a favourite Indian 



)urying-ground, it was on that accomit especially snbject to 

 ttack. 



F 



Two days after, Pond Creek Station, two miles west of 



fired 



*m 



many 



•n the 24th, Big Timbers again ; on the 27th, Pond Creek 



head of cattle. The day before they 

 ich, and had commenced the month 

 sf June by scalping and horribly mutilating two frontier men 

 n the 3rd, and two more on the 7th, within a few miles of 

 ^ort Walkice. These, and many other massacres, took place 



o 



ould be expected 



we were at Salina ; but in so large and 

 .mtry, news of a portion of them only 

 D reach us. The savages even penetrated 



d2 



