St. Louis University, March 6, 1863
Reverend Dear Father HOEKCEN
I received your letter of the 13th ultimo and am most thankful to your Reverence for it. I fully concur in all you advanced in it in regard to the Osage Mission. As to my neglect of writing to you, I must acknowledge it has been apparent, though not real. What with excursions and other occupations I have postponed it from week to week, and the guilt, if any, is altogether on my side. I must confine myself to a few words with regard to my last trip among the Indians.
Fathers Giorda and Imoda have, in my opinion, done wonders at Benton and have raised a beautiful little congregation at the fort itself. Several of its inhabitants have been married by them and the women have become very pious. I married Clark to his young wife. I brought the Fathers about seventy boxes, bags and barrels, several plows, a wagon and an ambulance, all free of charge. This included at least $r,ooo over and above their allowance which I had scraped together. Dawson, Clark, Champagne family, indeed, all were anxious to see your Reverence and made several inquiries concerning you. In the course of last winter the Fathers had baptized over 700 children (principally) and adults. A war between the Grosventres and other Blackfeet bands rendered traveling in the country somewhat unsafe.
In my visits among the Missouri tribes I baptized over goo little children. I was prevented from pushing in the interior on account of the hostile dispositions of the Sioux, whose war bands infested the plains in all directions. How it will be this spring it is hard telling. It may be worse than last year on account of the hanging of thirty-nine Sioux in Minnesota, who, of course, will be revenged, if they can accomplish it. Harney is to go out against them with a large force. I will leave in all probability by the 1st of May, and may be accompanied by two or three Italian