[Indorsement.]

OCTOBER 24, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Colonel Carson for his information.

It is possible this report of the numbers is greatly exaggerated. It is desirable to attack and punish the Kiowas first, if possible. They are the worst of the two, yet it was the Comanches who killed the men of Allison's train. Indians (Kiowas and Comanches) who recently came in to Fort Bascom are reported to have said that they attacked Fort Larned. Please return this paper.

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,
Milwaukee, Wis., October 10, 1864.

Brigadier General H. H. SIBLEY,

Commanding District of Minnesota, Saint Paul:

GENERAL: Your telegram and letter asking instructions as to furnishing an escort to a train of Indian supplies from Minnesota to the Winnebago and Sioux Reservation, on the upper Missouri River, applied for by Indian Superintendent Thompson, have been received. You must be guided in the matter by your best judgment, bearing in mind, first, whether you can spare troops from your district; second, that any force sent will be withdrawn from your command for the whole winter; third, that such a journey across the plains so far north at this season of the year will be attended with extreme hardship and suffering, not to say danger of perishing, of the troops. It is not understood why it is that the Indian Department thus a second time applies for an escort of troops at such a season of the year, nor why they have allowed the whole spring and summer and more than half of the autumn to pass without sending any necessary train to the Missouri River, and without notifying the military authorities that there has ever been a purpose to send a train this year. Last year an escort was sent thus late in the season with a train of supplies for Indians on the Missouri, because it was represented to be specially urgent on account of disappointments about crops and other vital reasons. It was then considered extremely dangerous to send troops, and as it turned out their escape from destruction by cold was almost miraculous. There certainly cannot be such reasons urged now for thus exposing the lives of soldiers, as the supplies referred to could and should have been taken to the Missouri long since, and at seasons of the year when traveling on the Northern plains is practicable. I cannot therefore order this escort to be furnished. You will please furnish a copy of this letter to Superintendent Thompson, and in case you decline to furnish the escort notify him that any further application must be made to Washington.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND SUB-DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA,
Fort Ridgely, October 10, 1864.

Captain R. C. OLIN,

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

CAPTAIN: Your communication of the 7th instant has been received, and in accordance with the instructions contained therein I shall dis-