Two Bears were in the Sioux camp when these Red River envoys were there, and they report that at the feast given to the traders, and at their instigation, Medicine Bear and Strike the Ree proclaimed open hostility to the whites, and their determination to fight, commencing with the attack upon this place. Is there no way, general, to stop these marauding bands from coming to the Indian camps from the British possessions and supplying them with munitions of war and inciting them to hostilities? The Government certainly will not permit these outrages to be perpetrated upon American soil under color of the British flag without promptly demanding redress. If the Indians attack this place they will probably be assisted by a large number of Red River half-breeds, as they and the Sioux have agreed to unite to fight the whites, and they have promised to help the Sioux in their attack upon us. You will see by the above statement that the situation of affairs is rather alarming. Our garrison is small (forty-nine men), with a frail, inflammable, ill-constructed stockade, easily fired, hard to defend, cut off from water (in case of an attack), isolated from the rest of the world without the means of communication with any other point, and in the heart of the hostile Sioux country. Their hosts gathering like birds of ill-omen around us and their threats reaching us daily, our situation is one of extreme peril. There seems to be no longer any doubt but what we shall be attacked soon, but there is only one thing that we can do, that is to be in readiness at all times and await their coming, and that we do calmly and with the conviction that when the time for action comes every man will be at his post and do his duty. We find it extremely difficult to get mails through between this and Fort Rice, as the Sioux are determined to allow no communication between this place and points below if they can prevent it. The last mail I sent, containing all our returns, reports, and other official papers, I presume was lost. Colonel Dimon, commanding Fort Rice, sent us a mail by two Yanktonnais belonging to Two Bears' band, and by them I send this. We are all in good health and spirits, and everything is at present quiet at this post.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. B. MORELAND,

Captain, Sixth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, Commanding Post.

Abstract from return of the Military Division of West Mississippi, Major General Edward R. S. Canby, U. S. Army, commanding, for the month of January, 1865.

Present for duty.

Office- Aggregate Aggregate

Command. rs. Men. present. present a

nd absent

General headquarters 20

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20 20

Department of the

Gulf (Hurlbut):

Staff. 62

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62 71

Infantry. 669 18,398 23,982 29,203

Cavalry. 226 6,297 7,984 11,495

Artillery. 145 5,467 6,728 7,451

Total. 1,102 30,162 38,756 48,220

CONTINUATION:

Pieces of artillery.

Command. Heavy. Field. Headquarters.

General headquarters

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---------

New Orleans,

La.

Department of the Do.

Gulf (Hurlbut):

Staff.

---------

---------

Infantry. 135 11

Cavalry.

---------

---------

Artillery. 291 87

Total. 426 98