reached us since the captain was here, which is as follows: The Indians brought the other Indian (the remaining one of the two murderers) to Balsam Lake, at Smith & Whiting's boarding-house. The Indians then told the murdered to take his choice, to be delivered over to the whites or kill himself, and he took a pistol and shot himself immediately. The report of this affair has been going the rounds for several days, needing, in my opinion, confirmation, which it now has of the most reliable character. I therefore think it safe to believe that both of the Indians who murdered Knight and Grover are dead.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN McKUSICK.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST, Saint Paul, Minn., September 27, 1864.

COLONEL: By direction of General Sibley, I respectfully inclose a communication* from His Excellency Governor Miller, covering a dispatch from Colonel Smith, Minnesota State Militia, in both of which the inefficient state of the troops stationed for the defense of the frontier is severely commented upon in the face of the fact that the brigadier-general commanding has so repeatedly urged upon you and other commanding officers the danger of intermitting for a single which may occur at any moment. These reported statements of the State authorities that there is another want of even ordinary preparation against impending dangers are very mortifying. It appears from Colonel Smith's report that enlisted men of the cavalry were absent from their posts and visiting New Ulm without any authority whatever. With all the allowances that can be reasonably made for the lack of drill and discipline of the men, as well as the officers so lately received into the service, there are certainly means whereby they can be kept at the post where they are stationed, and punished if they do not discharge the duties devolved upon them to be best of the ability. The raids that thus far have been made by the savages have invariably found the detachments posted expressly to repel and punish them more or less unprepared to do either. In view of the foregoing facts you are instructed to use the most stringent measures to correct the evils complained of, and especially to report any officers who are negligent or remiss in the discharge of the responsible duties imposed on them. The slender force that can be spared for the defense of the border should make up for a want of numerical strength by redoubled energy and activity. A dispatch from Major Brown, special agent at Fort Wadsworth, dated 16th, contains intelligence of a reliable character from the hostile camps near Devil's Lake; that parties were preparing to make a descent upon the Minnesota frontier, and one gang especially, headed by Crossing River, the savage who killed two white men on the headwaters of the Big Sioux last spring are represented to be already on the way. Notice of this fact should be communicated immediately to all the stations on the north as well as the south of the Minnesota River, the end that all may be on the alert by night and by day to give these wretches a warm reception. General Sibley has felt convinced that such forays will take place during the fall months, and has called the attention of yourself and other

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*See Miller to Sibley, September 267, p. 400.

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