power to save them, in spite of the orders I had received about the movement of troops, on account of the women and children and my soldiers, if no one else, who were innocent of the folly of so small a party going into an enemy's country, who had lately been badly whipped, and would do all they could to take revenge if possible. When my troops arrived next day I issued an order directing Colonel Dill, with 300 of the Thirtieth Wisconsin, 200 Eighth Minnesota, 100 Seventh Iowa Cavalry, all dismounted, and from the Second Minnesota Cavalry, Brackett's battalion, and Sixth Iowa Cavalry 100 men each, mounted on the best of the horses, with two howitzers, to go after Captain Fisk and bring back his party. I would have sent only a cavalry force, but this I could not; my animals were too weak to stand a rapid march, having marched 1,500 miles in the last three months, sometimes with little or no grass, and the worst of alkali water. All day yesterday was consumed in crossing the troops and wagons, drawing rations, &c.; this morning early they started. I hope they will be in time to relieve Captain Fisk, if he is in trouble, for a disaster to him and his party at this present moment would greatly retard my prospects of making peace with the Indians. They would, of course, take this emigrant train for part of my command, and if they capture it the evil disposed in the nation would boast of it and urge the rest to continue the war. I shall send off from here all the troops except a sufficient number to protect the place, and will remain here some days. I would like to keep the command up here a few weeks longer, but this is impossible. I have not rations enough; a very large quantity of what I have is not fit for use. The sinking of two boats and the breaking down of another, together with the low stage of water, prevented all my supplies reaching here. The campaign for this summer must therefore close. Winter will very soon set in and with it death to all my stock, reduced and weak as it is; tow or three cold freezing rains or snows on the prairie would kill them off.

In conclusion I would beg leave to make the following remarks in regard to Indian affairs in this section of country: The Indian expedition which the general commanding the department ordered has been a success in every respect as far as it was in the power of any one or any body of troops to make it so. Circumstances over which no human being had any control prevented it from being a perfect success in every respect. Had the Missouri River commenced to rise in April, as it generally does, instead of June, the boats from Saint Louis would have got up to Sioux City and other points of starting sooner; the command would have been in the field sooner, boats would not have stuck on sand-bars, freight would not have been unloaded and loaded, whereby much of the stores was damaged badly. Had not two of the boats sunk and one become disabled, more supplies would be on hand, and if the usual amount of snow had fallen last winter the river would have been higher, the Yellowstone would have been navigable, there would have been grass and water, not alkali, which has helped to kill off many of my animals, the post on the Yellowstone could have been established. But in spite of all this, the expedition has met the combined forces of the Sioux Nation at points they chose to give us battle, and in these engagements completely routed them, destroyed a large portion of their camps and baggage, and scattered them in all directions, completely breaking up their combination, and proved to them that in spite of their boats and threats they were no match for the whites. I think they never will again organize for resistance against