On our return to Fort Leavenworth we found General Sanborn and a number of others of the former Union leaders who had come to the border to make peace with the Indians.
The various tribes that roamed the Plains had heard of the great war, and, believing that it had so exhausted the white man that he would fall an easy prey to Indian aggression, had begun to arm themselves and make ready for great conquests.

They had obtained great stores of arms and ammunition.

During the last two years of the war they had been making repeated raids and inflicting vast damage on the settlers.
At the close of the war, when the volunteers were discharged, I was left free to return to my old calling.

The regular army was in course of consolidation.

Men who had been generals were compelled to serve as colonels and majors.