men on the frontier, and I will, therefore, call on the militia officers of Brown and Blue Earth Counties to be in readiness until we are aware of the operations of the Indians. With the arrangements made on the line before i returned to this post I hope that we will have timely warning of their approach and be fully prepared for them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM PFAENDER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

According to instructions, we started from the camp toward the Big Sioux River, by way of Hole-in-Mountain, and between Hole-in-the-Mountain and the Big Sioux we came on the trail of those Indians who stole the horses. The trail we followed about two miles, when we discovered below us some Indians. We thought at first there were but few of them, and were determined to give them battle, but on approaching them found their number to be about fifty. Joseph La Framboise approached within a few hundred yards and asked them who they were and where they were going. They said they were White Lodge's band and Sleepy Eyes', and that they had better take care of themselves, or that they would get scared, meaning that they would attack their camp. Send us fifty mounted men to our camp and we will take track, and but few of them will get back. We want a few horses and a few carbines.

WASHINGTON, August 16, 1864-8.30 p. m. (Received 30th.)

Major-General CANBY,

New Orleans:

General Grant directs, if Kirby Smith succeeds in crossing the Mississippi River, that you concentrate all the troops you can spare on Mobile.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 219.
New Orleans, August 16, 1864.

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15. The commanding officer of the detachment of non-veterans of Eighteenth Indiana Volunteers is hereby directed to report at once to the headquarters of Major General J. J. Reynolds, commanding U. S. forces in the field, for transportation to the regiment in Virginia.

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By command of Major-General Banks:

W. D. PUTNAM,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, Baton Rouge, La., August 16, 1864.

Major-General HERRON:

GENERAL: The picket officers report a force of rebels said to be 400 strong on the Highland road four or five miles out. They have driven