In conclusion, I desire to say that I have not relieved Captain Bristol from the command of the post, and, unless the general so directs, will not, as at present advised to do so, feeling well assured that he will, from his intimate acquaintance with the wants of the Indians and the general necessities of the post, discharge the duties of post commander better than I could possibly, with my present limited information of the Indians and their habits, discharge them.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. M. CROCKER,

Brigadier-General.

[First indorsement.]

This very interesting report by General Crocker of the condition of affairs at the Navajo Reservation, at the Bosque Redondo, N. Mex., is respectfully forwarded for the information of the War Department. If Captain Calloway, who had been mustered out of service, can be induced to remain to direct the farming operations on the reservation I shall direct his employment at a reasonable compensation. This will greatly conduce to the interests of the Government.

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Second indorsement.]

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

November 7, 1864.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.

W. A. NICHOLS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., September 28, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel PFAENDER,

Commanding Sub-District, Fort Ridgely:

COLONEL: Your dispatch of the 23rd instant has been received at these headquarters. It may be that there are a few Indian horse-thieves, as reported to have been seen by some of the settlers, but most of these rumors have proved apocryphal, as you are aware. In case of the continued illness of Scout Kennedy his place might be filled temporarily by some competent man, who can speak English, from the scouts' camp on the Redwood. Measures have been taken to dispatch a force of scouts and cavalry from Fort Wadsworth to the James River and the extreme head to the Coteau to intercept the parties of savages from the hostile camp northwest of Devil's Lake, who were at last advices making preparations for a descent upon our border. These parties may, however, elude the pursuit of the force thus stationed by taking a different route, and therefore the vigilance of officers and men at the several stations must by no means by relaxed. The contractors for transportation of supplies to Fort Wadsworth have applied for an escort for a second and last train to leave Fort Ridgely a few days after that expected to take its departure this week. You will have to exercise your discretion as to the force that can be spared for that purpose, probably forty men of Company I, First U. S. Volunteers, and a