Note (return) — V. THE MARCH TO TAHLEQUAH AND THE RETROGRADE MOVEMENT OF THE "WHITE AUXILIARY"

Meanwhile, Salomon had established himself in the neighborhood of Hudson's Crossing, at what he called, Camp Quapaw. The camp was on Quapaw land. His idea was, and he so communicated to Blunt, that he had selected "the most commanding point in this (the trans-Missouri) country not only from a military view as a key to the valleys of Spring River, Shoal Creek, Neosho, and Grand River, but also as the only point in this country now where an army could be sustained with a limited supply of forage and subsistence, offering ample grazing386 and good water."387 No regular investigation into his conduct touching the retrograde movement, such as justice to Weer would seem to have demanded, was made.388 He submitted the facts to Blunt and Blunt, at first alarmed389 lest a complete abandonment of Indian Territory would result, acquiesced390 when, he found that the Indian regiments were holding their own there.391 Salomon, indeed, so far strengthened Furnas's hand as to supply him with ten days rations and a section of Allen's battery.