Fort Morgan, Wyo., not far from Sidney, Wyo., established May, 1865, abandoned May, 1868. Fort D. A. Russell, near Cheyenne, Wyo., established July, 1867, still occupied as an army post. Fort Sanders, Wyo., near Laramie, established June, 1866. Fort Fred Steele, fifteen miles east of Rawlins, established June, 1868. Fort Halleck, twenty-two miles west of Medicine Bow, abandoned 1866. General Sherman had prophesied that the influx of graders, teamsters, with their following would bring enough whiskey into the country to kill off all the Indians, and that the only good Indians were the dead ones. One of the most valuable forces during the building of the road was a battalion of four companies of Pawnee Indians mustered into the United States' service under the command of Major Frank J. North, January 13th, 1865, this action being taken at the instance of General Custer. They proved most effective, notwithstanding their somewhat ludicrous appearance. They were furnished the regular soldiers' uniform which they were permitted to modify to suit their individual ideas and taste. As a rule their head dress was the customary Indian one of feathers. Their arms were the regulation carbine and revolver of the cavalry to which they added on their own accord, hatchet, knife, spear, etc., and when fighting was to be done they would strip down to the buff or rather the copper skin. The construction forces at this time were being annoyed by the Cheyennes and Sioux, both of whom were the bitter foes of the Pawnees. Fort Kearney was the headquarters of Major North and his Pawnees and their duty was to protect the construction forces while at work.