a defenseless family, I am glad to inform you their pursuit has proved fatal to most of them, and other small parties that are reported have been so hotly pressed they are likely to fall or escape with such hazard as to discourage new adventures. Our strong line of outposts and the movements of forces in the two district commands will keep the hostile lodges so remote that I can hardly believe these predatory bands will persist in their very long journey and hazardous attempts to rob and murder your people. However this may be, extraordinary efforts will be made to protect your settlements and restore the confidence of your people.

I have the honor to be, Governor, your very obedient servant,

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI, Saint Louis, Mo., June 3, 1865.

Hon. A. W. HUBBARD,

Sioux City, Iowa:

MY DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 26th ultimo is just received. I have sent troops to General Dodge to act in conjunction with another large force under General Connor against those Indians in the Black Hills and locate the post on Powder River. General Dodge will attend to the whole business. I think you need have no concern about it. I will use all means at my command to secure safety to your wagon road parties and to keep peace on the plains. The stampede in Minnesota, gotten up and kept up purpose unnecessary to explain to you, makes is necessary to send Sully's cavalry force in the direction of Devil's Lake. I don't anticipate any satisfactory results from such an expedition so long as the Indians can retire into the British Possessions and we are prohibited by the English Government from following them, but to quiet the alarm in Minnesota really felt by the people of that State it is necessary to make the attempt. Sully's change of movement will not at all interfere with operations against hostile Indians in the Black Hills and west of them, nor with the establishment of the post on Powder River. General Doge will send a heavy cavalry force from the south and Connor a strong cavalry force from the west against the Indians. I trust, my dear judge, that you will make a through investigation of our Indian policy. The moment any one in any manner attempts to correct the abuse and frauds of Indian agents and others they set up a small paper at some frontier town and commence to abuse and vilify him. Aside from the disgrace brought upon the Department of the Interior by such conduct on the part of its officers, these publications do a vast injury to the public service and almost render it impossible to make even the necessary changes in Indian management, by deterring all honest officers from reporting the abuses which come under their own eyes, andnsequences of which they are held responsible. Differences of opinion on the subject of Indian affairs between officers of the War and Interior Departments conveyed in official communications or acts should be discussed, and if necessary referred for the decision of the Government in a gentlemanlike manner, and not made the subject of personal abuse and detraction in the public journals. Officers of the army are prohibited from doing such things, and I think none of them have the desire to engage in such questionable transactions. The officers of the Indian Department are not so scrupulous and bring the Government into disrepute by parading in the papers, accompanied by gross personal abuse,