HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,
Milwaukee, Wis., August 23, 1864.

Brigadier General H. H. SIBLEY,

Commanding District of Minnesota, Saint Paul:

GENERAL: Your private letter of the 18th has just been received. I regret to hear of any uneasiness or hostile purpose on the part of the Chippewas, but if necessary we stand ready to put down any attempt at actual hostilities. I have here four companies of the First U. S. Volunteers, numbering 400 men. The regiment is well organized and officered, and to my great satisfaction (as also somewhat to my surprise) it is in most excellent state of discipline. I desire to keep these companies in this State until after the draft (September 5), but if necessary I can at any moment place them in Saint Paul in two days. The companies of the Eleventh Minnesota I will also order at once to the frontier, if it becomes necessary, without awaiting reply to application from the War Department. If you think Hole-in-the-Day concerned in these attempts to create disaffection, and consider it judicious, you had best arrest him without ceremony. I wish you to keep the superintendent of Indian affairs and Indian agents in your district constantly advised of such information as is communicated in your letter of the 18th, and requested also to furnish all information they can obtain concerning the condition and disposition of the Chippewas. The reasons for this course are obvious, and I trust you will carefully pursue it.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., August 23, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel PFAENDER, or, in his absence,

COMMANDING OFFICER FORT RIDGELY:

SIR: The past dispatch received at these headquarters from the Second Sub-District is dated the 15th instant, so that eight days have intervened since any information has been furnished to the brigadier-general commanding, notwithstanding the fact that a renewal of the Indian raids was apprehended, rendering frequent reports from the frontier not only proper but indispensable. Should Lieutenant-Colonel Pfaender be absent on duty, which precludes these reports being made by him, the commanding officer of Fort Ridgely for the time being will make daily reports to these headquarters of all reliable information that can be obtained relative to the movements of the Indians, or anything else of importance regarding the condition of the frontier. If no intelligence has been received and everything is apparently quiet let the fact be reported.

By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. OLIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 107.
New Orleans, La., August 24, 1864.

1. The following-named regiments are hereby formed into a separate cavalry brigade and attached to the Nineteenth Army Corps: First