Alexandria Gazette

From the Western Plains,
department, U. S. Army, arrived at St. Louis on
the 13th inst., direct from Fort Laramie, which
place he left on the 16th April. He, with his
lady and escort, made the trip across the Plains
to Fort Leavenworth in seventeen and a half
days. On the route they encountered two very
severe snow storms, which greatly impeded
their progress. At the O'Fallon Bluffs, they
met a war party of the Cheyennes who were
going out to attack the Pawnees. The Captain
made them some presents of tobacco, and was
treated kindly by them.
The first train of emigrants was met by the
Captain's company the 2d of May, near the
crossing of the Little Blue; and, from that point
until he arrived at the frontier, he met them al-
most every day. The main body of the emigra-
tion was for Salt Lake. He found, in all he
passed, but two companies for California.-
They were getting along very well. The past
season at Fort Laramie had been more than
usually dry, but little rain having fallen during
the winter or spring. The report of the Indians
and traders at the Fort was, that the snow in
the mountains was very heavy. At one period
before he left the Fort there had been a consid-
erable rise in the river, but, owing to the suc-
ceeding cold weather, it suddenly subsided.-
On the Plains the grass was short, but other-
wise abundant. The principal emigration
across the Plains this year will be the Mormon
trains for the Salt Lake, and a few trains for
California and Oregon.