HEADQUARTERS SECOND DUB-DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA,
Fort Ridgely, September 2, 1864.

Captain R. C. OLIN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minn.:

CAPTAIN: I have just received your dispatch of the 31st ultimo,* and am greatly surprised at the news of Indian troubles on the northern portion of our line. Up to this hour (the patrol that left Manannah this morning even having arrived) I have not heard of any disturbances whatever, although I am kept advised of everything transpiring at any portion of the frontier, and I really sorry that such wild rumors should still continue to be set afloat. Whenever anything should happen I shall not fail to inform the commanding general without the least delay.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM PFAENDER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Memphis, Tenn., September 3, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Military Division of West Mississippi:

GENERAL: I have just received a letter from Commander Phelps, U. S. Navy, of which I inclose a copy. I think from that that danger on White River is over. I shall send to General Mower by the bearer of this an order to return here and proceed at once to Atlanta, if, when he arrives at the mouth of White River, he becomes satisfied that there is no need for his services. My cavalry I shall order to proceed up toward Jacksonport and co-operate with Steele in the pursuit of Price, Shelby, Marmaduke & Co. I am pretty well satisfied that a raid of large proportions is about being made on Missouri, and have advised the War Deportment and General Rosecrans of my belief.

C. C. WASHBURN,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

U. S. GUN-BOAT HASTINGS,

Memphis, September 3, 1864.

Major-General WASHBURN, U. S. Army,

Commanding District of West Tennessee, &c.:

GENERAL: Captain Bache received your letter requesting him to communicate with Saint Charles on the 30th, and sent a gun-boat up immediately. That vessel left Saint Charles on the 1st instant bringing the information that the post was evacuated on that day by order of General Steele. Colonel Moore, commanding the post, having remonstrated with the general on the receipt of the first order to evacuate, received a peremptory order to do so. Shelby was being pursued, or rather hunted for, by two commands sent out by General Steele for that purpose. Nothing positive appeared to be known about Shelby's movements or whereabouts, but it was supposed that he had gone to Jacksonport. The same may be said of the knowledge possessed by our forces in regard to the operations of the rebel forces in Arkansas. Pine Bluff is not captured.

S. L. PHELPS,

Lieutenant Commander, Divisional Commander Miss. Squadron.

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* See Part III, p. 966.

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