To further his scheme for Indian enlistment, Lane had projected an inter-tribal council to be held at his own headquarters.  E.H.  Carruth worked especially to that end.  The man in charge of the Southern Superintendency, W.G.  Coffin, had a similar plan in mind for less specific reasons.  His idea was to confer with the representatives of the southern tribes with reference to Indian Territory conditions generally.  It was part of the duty appertaining to his office.  Humboldt[144] was the place selected by him for the meeting; but Leroy, being better protected and more accessible, was soon substituted.  The sessions commenced the

[Footnote 141:  (cont.)

TOE-LAD-KE                 his X mark    Chickasaw
CHAP-PIA-KE                his X mark    Chickasaw

CHOO-LOO-FOE-LOP-HAH-CHOE  his X mark    Seminole
OH-CHEN-YAH-HOE-LAH        his X mark    Seminole

Witness:  C.F.  Currier
W. Whistler

LEROY, COFFEY CO.  KAN., Nov. 4 1861.

I do certify that the within statement of the different chiefs were taken before me at a council held at my house at the time stated and that the talk of the Indian was correctly taken down by a competent clerk at the time.

GEO.A.  CUTLER, Agent for the Creek Indians.

[Indian Office Special Files, no. 201, Southern Superintendency, C 1400 of 1861.]]

[Footnote 142:  Their acquaintance dated, if not from the antebellum days when Hunter was stationed at Fort Leavenworth and was not particularly magnanimous in his treatment of Southerners, then from those when he had charge, by order of General Scott, of the guard at the White House. Report of the Military Services of General David Hunter, pp. 7, 8.]

[Footnote 143:  Daily Conservative, November 13, 1861.]

[Footnote 144:  Coffin to Dole, October 2, 1861, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Report, 1861, p. 39.]

sixteenth[145] of November and were still continuing on the twenty-third.[146] It had not been possible to hold them earlier because of the disturbed state of the country and the consequent difficulty of getting into touch with the Indians.

Upon assuming command of the Department of Kansas, General Hunter took full cognizance of the many things making for disquietude and turmoil in the country now under his jurisdiction.  Indian relations became, of necessity, matters of prime concern.  Three things bear witness to this fact, Hunter’s plans for an inter-tribal council at Fort Leavenworth, his own headquarters; his advocacy of Indian enlistment, especially from among the southern Indians; and his intention, early avowed, of bringing Brigadier-general James W. Denver into military prominence and of entrusting to him the supervisory command in Kansas.  In some respects, no man could have been found equal to Denver in conspicuous fitness for such a position.  He had served as commissioner of Indian affairs[147]