sixty miles southeast of this post, I immediately sent out Lieutenant B. F. Fox, First Cavalry California Volunteers, with a small party of mounted men and two Navajo Indians to act as guides and spies, to ascertain their whereabouts,and, if possible, to learn for what purpose they were moving toward the Pecos. Lieutenant Fox returned after an absence of eight days, having gone as far as Bosque Grande, and reports having seen no Indian signs. I also dispatched two Mexicans in the direction in which the camp was supposed to be over the Llano Estacado. They returned late last evening and reported late last evening and reported that they traveled six days over the Llano (going about 300 miles from this post) and struck a tributary of the Red River, where an Indian camp had been, estimated by them to be from 800 to 1,000. They state that many of the animals were shot, and that the trail from there went in a southerly direction. They also state that the camp is about 250 miles from Fort Bascom, down the river. This information corresponds with intelligence I received from Captain Gorham, now at Fort Bascom. They also report having met Mexicans coming from the Comanche Camp, who say that they had been trading with them, and that the Indians told them that they had released the captives recently taken by them on the plains; that they were tired of fighting and wanted to be at peace with the whites. Having received a letter from the commanding officer at Fort Bascom on the 17th instant informing me of Comanches being in the vicinity of that post, and requesting me to send him re-enforcements, I immediately sent Captain Gorham, First Cavalry California Volunteers, with thirty-two men of Companies B and G, of that regiment, with instructions to return when the commander of Fort Bascom thought their services could be dispensed with. Captain Gorham writes me that about twenty Indians came into the post with a flag of truce. They say that their camp is some distance down the river; that they are the same Indians who attacked Fort Larned and a train some time since on the plains, but that they now wish to make peace with the whites.

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

H. B. BRISTOL,

Captain, Fifth Infantry, Commanding Post.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST, Numbers 154.
Milwaukee, Wis., September 30, 1864.

Companies G and F, First Regiment U. S. Volunteers, now at Camp Reno, Milwaukee, Wis., will immediately proceed to Saint Paul and report for duty to Brigadier General H. H. Sibley, commanding District of Minnesota.

By command of Major-General Pope:

J. F. MELINE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,

Milwaukee, Wis., September 30, 1864.

Brigadier General H. H. SIBLEY,

Commanding District of Minnesota, Saint Paul:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 27th instant has been received. General Sully writes me from Fort Rice, under date of September 9, stating that seven Yanktonais are there, who inform him that the chiefs of that band are on their way to Fort Rice to negotiate for peace. The