expeditionary force under Colonel Thomas, was ordered south, against their earnest and repeat remonstrances, in compliance with pressing and reiterated representations from citizens of this State that there was no danger to be feared from hostile Indians and that it was useless and wrong to retain so noble a regiment as the Sixth to guard against mere idle and baseless impressions of peril to the frontier when they should be battling against the rebels in Southern fields. This fact should be known to the settlers who are so ready to cast the blame of any catastrophe upon the military officers of the district, who have done and will continue to do all that can be accomplished with the limited means at their disposal to prevent any recurrence of the bloody scenes to which you allude.

I am, with high respect, your obedient servant,

H. H. SIBLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., October 4, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM PFAENDER,

Commanding Fort Ridgely:

COLONEL: General Sibley directs me to call your attention to the fact that no dispatch later than 23rd ultimo has reached these headquarters from you. He is consequently left in ignorance of all military movements and intelligence in the long interim, as well as of the departure of the trains for Fort Wadsworth,and other information which should be regularly furnished by yourself, or in your absence by the officer left in command at Fort Ridgely. You are instructed to make or cause to be made more frequent reports in the future. His Excellency Governor Miller has addressed an official communication to the brigadier-general commanding containing a dispatch from Colonel Smith, Minnesota State Militia, in which Colonel Smith takes occasion, ad does the Governor, to state no allusion was intended to you personally or officially in the somewhat sweeping censures bestowed by the colonel upon the condition of the frontier defenses heretofore. Two companies of the First U. S. Volunteers are on their way to this district with upward of forty unattached men, all of which force will probably reach here to-morrow r the day following, and be at once dispatched to Fort Ridgely to be stationed along the line north and south of that post.

By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

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

R. C. OLIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., October 5, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: Your dispatch of the 26th ultimo has been received. Several inspections of the Department of Arkansas have already been made, and a good many irregularities have been corrected. The inefficiency of the calvary force has been due to a defective organization and a divided responsibility. General West,w ho is represented to be an excellent officer, is now in charge of the whole, and I anticipate good results from his