Should corn be taken to Mexico we cannot get any more. Should be stopped. Colorado depends on Arkansas River country for grain; loud clamor on the subject. All quiet. Mails running.

T. MOONLIGHT.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., March 6, 1865.

Major General S. R. CURTIS,

Commanding Department of the Northwest, Milwaukee, Wis.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that advices have been received from my scouts' camp on James River, at Fort Wadsworth, 20th ultimo, which afford the following information: First, the greater part of the hostile Sioux bands are encamped at Painted Woods, on the Missouri, about thirty miles above Heart River; second, there are 200 lodges of Tetons at the Forked Butte, a short distance east of Swan Lake; third, there is a mixed camp of Yanktons and Yanktonnais on the Missouri Coteau, near the head of Elm River, making their way down toward the James River; fourth, a camp of about eight lodges of Yanktonnais on the Snake River, a tributary of the James, under a chief named Mdoka (the male); fifth, 112 lodges of Yanktons, encamped on the James River at Oak Grove (Talle de Chien), are engaged in hunting and proceeding toward Elm River, where they expected to find buffalo. Many of the stragglers from the U. S. reservation have gone back in the direction of fort Thompson, in accordance with the orders given by me to sub-district and post commanders to allow none of these people east of the James River under any pretext whatever. Of the bands above or before mentioned the Yanktons alone are annuity Indians, and are regarded as friendly. The powerful subdivision of the Yanktonnais have heretofore been actively hostile, but the repeated chastisements inflicted upon them in 1863 and 1864 have disposed some of the chiefs to peace. As a general thing they are not to be depended on. The bands designated in first paragraph as hostile are composed of the refugees from the Lower Sioux, who perpetrated the terrible massacres of 1862; of some of the Sissetons, who participated in the attack on Fort Abercrombie in the same year, and of others who, having committed outrages upon the white settlements, have no hope of pardon for their crimes. These desperadoes form a camp of about 400 lodges, or about 700 to 800 warriors, who are malignantly hostile, and, if possible, should be placed beyond the power of doing mischief. I hope to be able by a secret and rapid movement, as early in the spring as practicable, to cut off the retreat of this camp into British territory. The Sisseton Sioux generally have been opposed to the war with the whites, and about seventy lodges are now encamped under the surveillance of the garrison at Fort Wadsworth, having given themselves up. About 100 lodges of these people in addition will follow the example of their brethren in the spring, unless unfavorably operated on by British traders and half-breeds. Some of these Sissetons have performed important service as scouts along the James River, &c., in intercepting raiding parties from the hostile camp on their way to the settlements in Iowa and Minnesota, during the fall of 1864. The bitter enmity existing between the war party and those inclined to submit is a good guarantee of the fidelity of the latter, especially when acting under the direction of our own officers. In accordance with the written instructions of Major-General Pope, I shall send a force of six companies of cavalry, with a