much in so doing-Captain Pell, assistant adjutant-general; Major Wood, Fifteenth New York Cavalry, chief of cavalry; Captain Marsh, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, acting assistant inspector-general; Captain Von Minden, Brackett's battalion, acting topographical engineer; Lieutenant Ellison, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, acting ordnance officer; Lieutenant Bacon, Dakota cavalry, acting assistant quartermaster; and I was also obliged to accept the services of Surgeon Freeman, medical director, to carry orders. I shall march toward the Yellowstone in two days, bearing a little south, and I expect to overtake the enemy again on my way. I would beg leave also to add that they day after the fight, when I returned to the enemy's camp, some Indians came forward and planted a white flag on the hill-side; some men, however fired on them and they retreated. I saw the flag too late.

I inclose you the list* of killed and wounded, and reports of different commanders.

With much respect, your obedient servant,

ALF. SULLY,

Brigadier-General.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST.

HEADQUARTERS NORTHWESTERN INDIAN EXPEDITION,
Camp on the Yellowstone River, Dak. Ter., August 13, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of my operations since I made my last report, on the 31st of July, on my return to Heart River, after my fight:

I assembled together all the Indians and half-breed guides I had to consult about my course. I had not quite six days' full rations on hand, and I must strike the Yellowstone by the most direct route at the Braseau house, where I had ordered two small steamers to meet me the first part of August. They all told me it was impossible for wagons to get through the country near the Little Missouri, without they went south, the route I started on before I was turned to the north by the report that the Indians were on Knife River. I would thus strike the Yellowstone, near the Powder River, and it would take me two or three weeks, and then, besides, I could not meet my boats there. One Indian, however, a Yanktonian, told me he had frequently been across that country on war parties, and he though the hills. I placed myself under his guidance, and he took me in a west direction for three days along the Heart River; plenty of good grass and water, but timber scarce; the country filled with extensive beds of coal, in some places veins ten feet thick. From what I have seen, coal, I feel sure, can be found in all this country, from the Missouri west to the Yellowstone. On the 5th day of August we came in sight of the Bad Lands, which extend along the Little Missouri, the valley being about twenty miles across; through the middle of this valley runs the river. When I came in sight of this country from the top of the table- land we were marching on, I became alarmed, and almost despaired of ever being able to cross it, and should have been very much tempted, had I rations enough, to turn back, but, on a close examination of my rations, I found I only had rations for six

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*Nominal list (here omitted) shows 2 killed and 8 wounded in Brackett's Minnesota Battalion; 1 killed and 1 wounded in Sixth Iowa Cavalry; 2 killed in Second Minnesota Cavalry; and 1 wounded in the First Battalion Dakota Cavalry.

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