"Camp on White River, Col.

Nov. 11th, 1879.

"Owing to the impracticable nature of the road which had been tried south from here towards Grand River, Gen. Merritt was desirous of obtaining any information possible concerning any other more practicable route. For this purpose, and particularly as the men who call themselves guides here don't seem to know anything about the country, Lieut. Hall, with a small party of citizens and soldiers, was ordered to proceed south, (west of what is called the "Great Hog‑back" on the maps) and observe the nature of the country for wagons, &c., Lieut. Weir went with him, at his own request, as I understand, for the purpose of getting a chance for hunting any game which might be found on the way. This was Oct. 20th, and to accompany Hall, Weir and their party, a company of cavalry or two, under Capt. Wessells, were ordered to meet them at the site of the Agency, but from some misunderstanding Hall and his party did not wait for them, but pushed on ahead, and the Cavalry were finally ordered to follow on their trail for •ten or twelve miles and there await their return until five P.M., and if they had not returned by that time to return to camp.

Meanwhile Hall and his party were pushing on south, and at •about twenty miles from here, and at about one P.M., a large band of deer crossed their trail. Weir, and a citizen scout named Hume​a followed them to try and get a shot at them, and the rest of the party rode on.  p69 They had hardly gone •a mile when they heard firing in their rear, but naturally supposed it came from Weir and his companion firing at the deer, and consequently paid no attention to it then; but almost immediately discovering a fresh Indian pony trail and thereby seeing there were Indians close about, Hall and his party turned and galloped back to join Weir. They had gone but a short distance when they were attacked themselves, and forced to find shelter in a ravine, where they were corralled until after dark, and then made their escape, came direct to camp and gave the alarm.

Gen. Merritt at once ordered a battalion to go to their rescue (Weir and Hume's), if they should possibly be still alive, or to find and bring in their bodies if they were dead; and by 9 P.M., Col. Sumner's battalion of the Fifth Cavalry was in the saddle and away — and before daylight was on the ground. As soon as it became light enough to see, a hunting party was sent out to examine all the ground. Lieut. Hall being of the number, and in a few moments the sad fact was plain to all that Weir was dead, as we could see his body being brought in by the men sent to search for him.

His body was found in a narrow ravine into which he probably had ridden in pursuit of the deer; at the mouth of the ravine and on the left was a ledge of rocks, and it must have been from this point that the shot was fired. He was shot but once, the ball going in under the left eye, and coming out behind the ear. He must have died instantly. There was no mutilation of any kind, in spite of what the papers say to the contrary, as I was present and saw the body when first brought in. He evidently had been shot from his horse, had fallen and possibly been dragged by the stirrup for a short distance, but that was all. His face had as peaceful an expression upon it appears to have he had gone to sleep, unconscious of the horror of his situation, or that a fatal shot had been fired at him.

As soon as his body was found it was carried back to camp, and there prepared to be sent to the railroad and thence to his friends. (Hume's body was found and buried a few days after.) I cannot give expression to the intense sorrow that his death caused in camp. Every one knew him to be a perfect gentleman, and had the warmest regard for him, and that he should die in such a manner was a shock to every one that will long be remembered."