Benj. Alvord, April 29, 1864

CoLONEL: I have the honor to report for the information of the general commanding the department that I have received a report, dated the 7th instant, from Lieutenant Waymire, at South Fork, on the Canyon City road. On the 23d of February, Lieutenant Waymire, First Oregon Cavalry, with twenty-five men of Company D of that regiment, was ordered to the South Fork of John Day’s River, with instructions to encamp at some point best calculated to enable him to protect the whites against the incursions of the Indians. About the 17th of March a band of horses and mules, numbering forty or more, was stolen by Indians from a ranch two miles south of Canyon City and run off into the mountains. On the 24th Lieutenant Waymire, with eighteen men, supplied with twenty days’ rations, started in pursuit of the stolen animals and their captors. He was preceded by a company of citizens, numbering about sixty, under Mr. C. H. Miller, of Canyon City. On the 30th he reached Harney Valley, where he came up with the company of citizens, who were engaged in digging riflepits with a view to establishing a depot preparatory to searching the valley. On the 7th of April, after having followed the trail of the Indians to the south and east by the eastern end of Harney Lake, and about thirty miles beyond, he encountered them in force posted on a sage ridge. He attacked them with his own men and was repulsed. A second attack, assisted by the citizens, met with no better result. The whole party was forced to retire without accomplishing more than to discover the number and home of the savages. The lieutenant attributes his failure to the weak support contributed by the citizens and the number of the enemy, which he estimates at 150, possibly twice that number. Two soldiers and one citizen are missing, supposed to have been cut off from the main body. The party reached their camp on the South Fork of Jobn Day’s River on the 16th of April, and learned that on the 31st of March a party of Indians had attacked the guard, overpowered it, and captured all the animals left at camp—seven horses and one mule. Lieutenant Waymire was sent to protect the communication to Canyon City at a date too early for want of grass for a large command to start. He has converted his humble task into a regular campaign into the Indian country, thus anticipating the operations which are confided to Captains Drake and Currey. However, he has procured important information, and evidently he and his men behaved with great coolness and gallantry. I thus easily forgive him for his adventurous trip, which far exceeded the programme intended for him, though we count the loss of two excellent men captured by the enemy when detached on areconnaissance. I have directed Captain Currey, if he shall deem it advisable, to cause Captain Drake to join him and assume command of the whole. They are directed to be governed by events whether a junction shall be effected. Colonel Maury reports that he thinks each force is large enough for the duty assigned it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,