COLORADO SUPERINTENDENCY,
                            Denver, Colo. Ter., June 16, 1864.

Major S. G. COLLEY,
        Fort Lyon, Colo. Ter.:
    SIR: You will immediately make necessary arrangements for the feeding and support of all the friendly Indians of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians at Fort Lyon, and direct the friendly Comanches and Kiowas, if any, to remain at Fort Larned. You will make a requisition on the military commander of the post for subsistence for the friendly Indians of his neighborhood. If no agent there to attend to this deputize some one to do it. These friendly bands must be collected at places of rendezvous and all intercourse between them and tribes or individuals engaged in warfare with us prohibited. This arrangement will tend to withdraw from the conflict all who are not thoroughly identified with the hostile movement, and by affording a safe refuge, will gradually collect those who may become tired of war and desire peace. The war is opened in earnest, and upon your efforts to keep quiet the friendly as nucleus for peace will depend its duration to some extend at least. You can send word to all these tribes to come as directed above, but do not allow the families of those at war to be introduced into the friendly camp. I have established a camp for our northern friendly bands on Cache la Poudre, and as soon as my plan is approved by the military, I will issue a proclamation to the Indians. Please spare no effort to carry out this instruction, and keep me advised by every mail of the situation.
        Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                                 JNO. EVANS,
                  Governor and Ex Officio Supt. of Indian Affairs.

                                           EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
                                         Denver, Colo. Ter., June 29, 1864.
Major S. G. COLLEY,
       U. S. Indian Agent, Fort Lyon, Colo. Ter.:
    DEAR SIR: I inclose a circular to the Indians of the plains. You will by every means you can get the contents to all of these Indians, as many that are now hostile may come to the friendly camp, and when

they all do the war will be ended. Use the utmost economy in providing for those who come in, as the Secretary of the Interior confines me to the amount of our appropriations, and they may be exhausted before the summer is out. You will arrange to carry out the plan of the circular at Lyon and Larned. You will use your utmost vigilance to ascertain how many of your Indians are hostile, where they are, and what plans they propose, and report to me by every mail at least. For this purpose you will enlist the active aid of Mr. John S. Smith and his son, and of such other parties as you may judge can be of essential service. Mr. C. A. Cook reports to me that Mr. Bent has given you important information in regard to the plans and strength of the hostile combinations on the plains. Please be careful and report to me in detail all of the reliable information you can get promptly, as above directed.
        I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                                    JNO. EVANS,
                                                 Governor of Colorado.

TO THE FRIENDLY INDIANS OF THE PLAINS:
    Agents, interpreters, and traders will inform the friendly Indians of the plains that some members of their tribes have gone to war with the white people. They steal stock and run it off, hoping to escape detection and punishment. In some instances they have attacked and killed soldiers and murdered peaceable citizens. For this the Great Father is angry, and will certainly hunt them out and punish them, but he does not want to injure those who remain friendly to the whites. He desires to protect and take care of them. For this purpose I direct that all friendly Indians keep away from those who are at war, and go to places of safety. Friendly Arapahoes and Cheyennes belonging on the Arkansas River will go to Major Colley, U. S. Indian agent at Fort Lyon, who will give them provisions, and show them a place of safety. Friendly Kiowas and Comanches will go to Fort Larned, where they will be cared for in the same way. Friendly Sioux will go to their agent at Fort Laramie for directions. Friendly Arapahoes and Cheyennes of the Upper Platte will go to Camp Collins on the Cache la Poudre, where they will be assigned a place of safety and provisions will be given them.
    The object of this is to prevent friendly Indians from being killed through mistake. None but those who intend to be friendly with the whites must come to these places. The families of those who have gone to war with the whites must be kept away from among the friendly Indians. The war on hostile Indians will be continued until they are all effectually subdued.
                                             JOHN EVANS,
                   Governor of Colorado and Superintendent of Indian Affairs.

Source:

United States. War Dept., United States. Record and Pension Office., United States. War Records Office., et al., "Price's Missouri Expedition," The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Published Under the Direction of the Honorable Daniel S. Lamont, Secretary of War. By Major George B. Davis, U. S. A., Mr. Leslie J. Perry, Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, Board of Publication. Series I - Volume XLI - In Four Parts. Part I-Reports. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1893. pp. 963-964.