tary commission of five officers to try them. I inclose a copy of the order directing it.* If found guilty they will be immediately executed, although I am somewhat in doubt whether my authority extends quite so far. An example is, however, imperatively necessary, and I trust you will approved the act, should it happen that some real criminals have been seized and promptly disposed of.

I have information, apparently reliable, that Little Crow and his adherents are at Big Stono Lake, 65 miles above this, where it is supposed he will be [opposed?] by Standing Buffalo, Sisseton band of Sioux, as I have held a correspondence with the chief, who desires to remain on friendly terms with our Government; but I am entirely powerless to move for lack of rations. If a train does not arrive within three days we shall be reduced to subsist upon what potatoes we can obtain several miles below us and the fresh beef we have left.

I request you in my dispatch of yesterday; general, to relieve me of the command of this expedition.

If upon consultation with Governor Ramsey it is deemed indispensable that I should not be relieved, which I trust will not be the case, you must at least grant me a leave of absence for thirty days, for the state of my health and the situation of my private business equally demand it.

Please attend to this at once, and you will very much oblige, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. H. SIBLEY,

Colonel, Commanding Military Expedition.

CAMP RELEASE, NINE MILES BELOW LAC-QUI-PARLE, September 28, 1862.

Colonel CHARLES E. FLANDREAU,

Commanding, &c., South Bend:

COLONEL: I send back the 24 men of Captain Dane' company, with dispatches, which I will thank you to forward immediately on receipt. You have doubtless heard of the smart conflict we had with the Indians and the severe loss they sustained. They retreated in haste, and have gone to Big. Stono, Lake, where I have reason to believe Standing Buffalo will oppose their passage or retard them until I can overtake them. You will rejoice to learn that the prisoners have been delivered up to me through the friendly Indians and half-breeds, doubtless with the hope that if that was done we would be less keep in pursuit. I have about 90 women and children of pure whites, and probably considerably over 100 half-breeds, who were also held as captives. I do not believe that more than a dozen or fifteen, if so many, have been taken by the hostiles. I am, as usual, out of rations, many of the companies having no flour or bread.

Having accomplish two of the objects of the expedition, and not being at all well, I have stood so much wear and tear time I need some rest. I suppose Captain Dane's company of mounted men can be spared; if so, please order them to join me at once, as the only horsemen I have will leave me on the 30th, when their term expires. If I had furnished with 300 or 400 cavalry I could have destroyed two-thirds of the hostile Indians after the battle of the 22nd. Should your order Captain Dane's company to join me they had better exchange their Austrian rifles for

---------------

*Not found.

---------------