cause we have not a sufficient number of muskets to arm our troops. Can you send us some-say 1,000-muskets by express? The emergency is great.

By order of the Government of the state of Minnesota:

OSCAR MALMROS,

Adjutant-General.

I have no arms to send him. What shall I reply?

E. SALOMON,

Governor.

SAINT PAUL, MINN., September 6, 1862-5 a. m.

The PRESIDENT:

Those Indian outrages continue. I asked Secretary Stanton to authorize the United States quartermaster to purchase, say, 500 horses. He refuses. The State cannot purchase on as good terms, if at all, as the General Government. This is not our war; it is a national war. I hope you will direct the purchase or send us 500 horses, or order the Minnesota companies of horse in Kentucky and Tennessee home. Answer me at once.* More than 500 whites have been murdered by the Indians.

ALEX. RAMSEY.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., September 6, 1862.

Major General JOHN POPE:

GENERAL: You will receive herewith an order of this Department constituting you commander of the Department of the Northwest. The Indian hostilities that have recently broken forth and are now prevailing in that department require the attention of some military officer of high rank, in whose ability and vigor the Government has confidence, and you have therefore been selected for this important command. You will proceed immediately to your department, establish your headquarters at Saint Paul, Minn., and make yourself acquainted with and report to this department the actual condition of affairs, and take such prompt and vigorous measures as shall quell the hostilities and afford peace, security, and protection to the people against Indian hostilities.

This Department has received no detailed information respecting the extent of the outrages that have been committed or of the force engaged in their perpetration, and therefore must leave to your judgment and discretion the measures to be taken. You will employ whatever force may be necessary to suppress the hostilities, making your requisitions upon the proper departments for whatever may be needed for that purpose.

In conclusion I will add that you cannot too highly estimate the importance of the duty now intrusted to you, and you have been assigned to it because of the hight confidence of the Government that you have the personal and military qualities to meet the emergency.

Yours, truly,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

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*Answer, if any, not found.

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