Thomas E. Ketcham to John Hanna, Jr, April 3, 1862

Lieut. JOHN HANNA, Jr., Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Humboldt Military District: SIR: I deem it my duty to report to you that a party of whites (citizens) have been out hunting Indians in the vicinity of Kel River, and they say that seventeen bucks were killed by the party and the women and children were turned loose. I have also been informed that there are quite a number of citizens who intend, as soon as the snow goes off, to make a business of killing the bucks wherever they can find them and selling the women and children into slavery. It is supposed that they will make their headquarters somewhere in the neighborhood of Fort Seward, taking their captives into Long Valley, there selling them to certain parties at $37.50 per head, who put them in a covered wagon, take them down to the settlements, and there dispose of them at a very handsome profit. One person is said to have made $15,000 last season in the business. It looks like an exaggerated statement; but say that one ranch is taken with ten women and twenty children, it amounts to the sum of $1,125, which is more money than men of that class can make in any other line of business. Captain Akey, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, passed through Long Valley on his way to Fort Seward last winter, and he can undoubtedly give the colonel commanding many particulars in regard to persons there. I respectfully await the instructions of the colonel commanding.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,