Note (return) — IV. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST INDIAN EXPEDITION

Halleck's preoccupation, prejudice, or whatever it was that prevented him from giving any satisfaction to Steele soon yielded, as all things sooner or later must, to necessity; but not to the extent of sanctioning the employment of Indians in warfare except as against other "Indians or in defense of their own territory and homes." The Pea Ridge atrocities were probably still fresh in his mind. On the fifth of April, he instructed232 General Denver with a view to advancing, at last, the organization of the Indian expedition and Denver, Coffin, and Steele forthwith exerted all their energies in coöperating effort233. Some time was spent in inspecting arms234 but, on the eighth, enough for two thousand Indians went forward in the direction of Leroy and Humboldt235 and on the sixteenth were delivered to the superintendent236. Coffin surmised that new complications would arise as soon as the distribution began; for all the Indians, whether they intended to enlist or not, would try to secure guns. Nothing had yet been said about their pay and nothing heard of an auxiliary force237. Again the question was, what,