Ilges to From copies. THOS. H. RUGER, Colonel Eighteenth Infantry, May 10, 1883

Adjutant-General, District of Montana, Helena, Mont.:

The following has just been received, and is furnished for the information of the district commander:

“Fort Walsh, May 9, 1883.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 7th instant, concerning Cree raids into Montana, and the contemplated combined hostile movement of several hundred Crees against your Indians south of the line. That several small war parties of Crees have done a great deal of mischief in Northern Montana I am now aware, but that they have any particular hostile feeling and contemplate a combined movement against your Indians I assure you is not the case.

Were they disposed to move in a body, they have not the means, it being impossible for them to procure sufficient ammunition. There is a large Cree camp about twenty-five miles east of this post. It has always been a favorite camping place for the Indians at this season of the year, as they are able to catch a great number of fish and have good feed for their horses.

“I am in almost daily communication with camp, and one might think the departure of a war party would easily be known, but such is not the case, as you are probably aware. They do not leave in a body, but quietly at night, one at a time, and then meet at an appointed place. Many small parties leave camp in that way, with very few others knowing anything about it. This will account for my not being able to warn you in time to intercept the parties. The raiding is not confined to our Indians alone, as war parties of Sioux, Assinniboines, and South Piegans have been seen in these hills; but thanks to your kindness in sending a special messenger to warn me of the approach of a war party of Piegans, the settlers and railway contractors have been able to gnard against any great loss of stock, although small numbers of horses have been stolen from this country and at different points along the rail way. No one regrets this state of affairs more than I do, and I have done everything in my power to prevent these Crees from crossing the line, as I shall continue to do.

“Our Government, to prevent future raids by these Crees, has decided to send them” away from these hills. Several hundred have already been sent east by rail, and the assistant Indian commissioner is here at the present time to arrange for transportation to move all that are here to the North Saskatchewan. The Indians, knowing they were to go, have stolen all the horses they possibly could to take with them. Fortunately we have recovered nearly all of them stolen from white men in Montana that we have any information about.

“Your informant was in the Crees camp soon after they received the news that two of their people had been killed, and about that time a war party returned from the Sweet Grass Hills with two scalps they had taken from Piegans. That would account for their loud talk, their war dance, and excitement at the time. Colonel Irvine, determined to put a stop to these Cree raids, ordered the arrest of the Indians who were engaged in the theft of Kipp’s horses. I succeeded in finding four of them, whom the colonel sentenced to five years in the Manitoba penitentiary, and had them sent there at once.

“Yesterday morning four of Baker & Co.’s men overtook, about 10 miles from here, six of the war parties who had stolen their horses, and recovered seventeen head of them; then came and reported the matter to me. I immediately sent out a party under Sergeant Peterson to the Big Camp, and succeeded in recovering the balance of the horses, with the exception of four, which they left on the road, and captured ten of the war party, whom Colonel Irvine on his return will probably sentence to the same term of imprisonment that he gave the other four. This severe lesson will, I believe, have the effect to check any more contemplated raids.

“I shall, however, watch them closely, and give you timely warning of the departure of any great number of Indians.

“Very respectfully, &c.,

A. SHURTLEFF, Superintendent, Commanding Post.”