'
' 7
i
Conservative.
try near to their settlements and within
striking distance of the Pawnees these
two nations being the most res : less and
troublesome on this frontier as it will
bo near to the Pottawattamies and Sioux
and as it will most probably bo the
starting point from the Missouri river
for the Oregon emigrants , I think it will
bo a permanent one ; and I am clearly of
the opinion that it should bo garrisoned
by at least two companies of dragoons
and two of infantry , and I now ask for
the approval of the general-in-chiof to
this recommendation. The secretary of
war , in 1838 , as understood by us , was
in favor of having upwards of a regi
ment at this point. Should a regiment
of mounted riflemen be authorized by
law , I would propose that four compan
ies of it be established there.
There must necessarily bo a large re
serve around the post in the Indian
country , and one on the opposite side of
the Missouri river within the state ,
whence most of the building timber is
to be procured. There are no settlements
there at present , though no doubt there
would soon be some groceries if per
mitted , and I have therefore to ask for
an approval of the reserve in the state as
recommended by Captain Boone and
myself "marked by dotted lines on the
map , " sent to the acting-quartermaster-
goiieral with our report of April 25 , 1888 ,
which must now be in the quartermas
ter-general's office , but of which I have
no copy.
Cannot an officer of the quartermaster
department be ordered at oiico to report
here , that ho may make his requisition
for the "necessary materials , tools , &c. , "
accompany the troops to Table creek and
superintendent the erection of the build
ings there ?
I shall be prepared to remove the
headquarters of my regiment to Fort
Leavenworth on the receipt of your
reply to this communication.
I cannot refrain from stating in this
place , that in my opinion justice to the
state of Missouri and its exposed fron
tier , with so many thousand Indians
near to it , will not admit of a diminu
tion of the military force now at Fort
Leaveuworth , viz : four companies of
dragoons and one of infantry ; now at
Fort Scott which now consists of one
company of dragoons and one of infan
try. They ought to bo increased at least
one company of infantry at each post.
Very respectfully ,
Your obedient servant ,
S. W. KEARNEY ,
Colonel First dragoons.
Brigadier-General R. Jones ,
Adjutant-General U. S. army ,
Washington , D. C.
7.
Headquarters First Eegt. Dragoons.
ST. Louis , Mo. , March 17 , 1846.
Sir : In my communication to you of
yesterday , I stated that a reserve would
) o required in the state of Missouri , di
rectly opposite to the now post , to bo es-
ablished near the mouth of Table creek ,
vhenco most of the building tim
ber must bo procured , and that there
vere no settlements there at present.
I have now to make a correction of this ,
as I have just learned that there are
> omo squatters there , dealing in liquor
vith the Indians , and that all the tim
bered land in the state , near that point is
ilaimed by squatters and whiskey
lealers. A reserve nevertheless is ne
cessary there on account of the timber
equired for building purposes and to
control a ferry. Very respectfully ,
Your obedient servant ,
S. W. KEARNEY ,
Colouel First dragoons.
Brigadier-General R. Jones ,
Adjutant-General U. S. army ,
Washington , D. C.
8.
Dear General : For the information
of the I would state
geueral-in-chief un
officially that I have just started Lieu-
enant Smith with thirty dragoons of
Captain Moore's company , talcing
wenty public horses , for Table creek ,
the remainder of the horses of that com-
mny I keep hero till they have stables
where they can secure them , for as the
dragoons will have so much work to per-
'orm in building their quarters the horses
would necessarily be a great incuui-
Drance.
I am hourly looking for a steamboat
wringing from St. Louis flooring , stores ,
&c. , for the now post , and , on her arri
val , will embark the infantry companies
and the remainder of Captain Moore's
company , going in her myself , and tak
ing Major Wharton ( at his request ) to
put him in command of the new post.
I expect on my arrival there to lay out
the place for the buildings , and set all
hands to work , and then return hero by
the last of the mouth ; and as Table
creek is not more than 120 miles from
hero , I shall expect to go there two or
three times during the summer , talcing
each time a company of dragoons from
here , who will assist in the work for the
few weeks they may be on a visit there.
Our mails are very irregular ; we have
nothing from Washington later than the
22d ultimo. Yours ,
S. W. KEARNEY ,
May 12 , 1840.
Fort Leavonworth.
Brigadier-General Jones.
0.
Headquarters Detachment U.S. Army , )
Steamer "Amaranth" on the >
Missouri river , May 16 , 1846. )
Sir : Having embarked with two
companies , one of dragoons and the
other of infantry , to establish the newly
designed post near the junction of Table
creek and this river , I write to ask that
I may bo furnished with a sufficient
number of blank post returns for the
current year. I shall also need a supply
of enlistments , ro-onlistnieuts ( blanks )
of accounts current , recruiting accounts
and of returns of the rogimoutal recruit-
ug service for the sanio period. As I
am at present advised the nearest post-
office to the proposed post is either
Vluusiker's ferry , or High Bridge creek ,
Atchison county , Missouri.
I avail myself of the present occasion
; o ask what shall be the name of the
low post ? Fort Nebraska or Fort Ma-
comb had been suggested to my niiud ,
the latter after the late General Ma-
conib , seeing that the names of many
general officers had become those of
several of our military posts. Respect
fully ,
Your obedient servant ,
O. WHARTON ,
Major First dragoons ,
Commanding.
Brigadier-General R. Jones ,
Adjutant-General ,
Washington , D. C.
NOTE By Adjutant-General Jones
As it is probable that the prosecution
of this now work will be postponed no
attention need be paid to this letter im
mediately.
10. '
Headquarters First Regt. Dragoons ,
FT. LEAVENWORTH , May 28 , 1846.
Sir : I have to report , that in com
pliance with Special Orders No. 17 of
March 5 , 1846 , I ( in company with
Brigadier-General Brooke ) on the. 15th
instant , left here with Company C ,
First dragoons and Company A , First
infantry , to establish a new military
post on the right bank of the Missouri
river and at the mouth of Table creek.
On our arrival at that point the ground
for the buildings was laid off ; the plan
of them decided upon ; all necessary ar
rangements made , and orders given. I
then left Major Whartou in command
there and returned to this post , where I
arrived on the afternoon of the 26th ,
and a few hours after received by Lieu
tenant Turner yours to mo of the 18th
and 14th with their enclosures ( relating
to an expedition to Santa Fe ) which
he had obtained from the postoffice in
St. Louis.
To enable me to take as many of my
own regiment on this expedition as cir
cumstances will admit of , I immediately
sent orders for Captain Moore at Table
crook and Captain Eustis at Fort Scott ,
to march to this post , with from forty
to forty-five men of their companies ,
leaving the balance of them , including
all their mechanics , to continue on the
works at which they are now employed.
' With the three companies now here , and
the parts of the two which are coming ,
I am in hopes of getting about 280 ef
ficient dragoons for the field besides
leaving a small , though sufficient , num
ber to take charge of this post for the
present. The dragoons will be ready to