Camp on North Fork of the Platte
Three Miles West of Scotts Bluff [Nebraska Territory]

Aug. 8th 1858. [Sunday]

An officer whom we met the other day going to Kearney with some troops, cavalry, that had been ordered back, said that it was the general impression at Laramie that we would go on and to Oregon. but of course they do not know anything more about it than we do. I am really sorry that I should be so uninformed about the movements of the 7th Infy as to be unable to give you even a faint notion of what will probably take place & where we will go to. for I know how anxious you must be. As I do not expect to know any thing never hear anything until we arrive in Utah. let me advise you to take the Washington Star, in addition to the Missouri Republican, and also the New York Herald and if you like the Missouri Democart. All those papers have correspondents in the army, and keep themselves better informed in regard to army movements, than any others. We see no indians and but little game. I however killed two grouse this evening, one of which was for dinner the other I gave away. ⁽¹⁾

I am writing this in rather too great a hurry my own darling to give you all the little incidents and excitements which sway our little society. They are hardly worthy of note, but when I am at leisure and feel in a very good humor, I will try and answer you by some account of ourselves.

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(1) Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory. The grouse is a bird similar in size to a quail.