chief) gave us the dare we went for them in earnest, and in a very short time they raised the white flag, but too late. They went under, one and all, and as trophies we brought ten ponies, one mule, and various other Indian fixings, and recovered several thinks which were taken from the whites, some of which i will mention, and the first that I will mention was the scalp of some white lady and her shoes, covered with blood, and some articles of underclothing. We also found bills of lading, or perhaps more properly, freight bills, from parties in Saint Joseph to Denver merchants, and signed by one Peter Dolan, who no doubt went under. We also found Big Wolf's certificates of good character, friendship for whites, &c., but the lady's scalp and clothing fail to corroborate the statements of the back-handed gents who gave the certificates. I reported eleven ponies, but was mistaken one in my count, which you will confer a favor by correcting.* We are fully satisfied that there are more in this vicinity by scouting. We lack arms. Accept our thanks for the ammunition which you sent us, and for your kindness in supplying us soon. But, colonel, the coach has come and I must close. There are some of the minutiae of this affair that I will give personally in future.

Yours, respectfully,

D. H. NICHOLS.

MILWAUKEE, WIS., October 11, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington:

The Eighth Minnesota Volunteers and the four companies of the Thirtieth Wisconsin will reach Saint Paul on the 15th, and will immediately proceed to Nashville. The other six companies Thirtieth Wisconsin are on their way down the Missouri River, momentarily expected to arrive at Saint Joseph.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., October 11, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM PFAENDER,

Commanding Second Sub-District, Fort Ridgely:

COLONEL: Your two dispatches of 3rd instant have been received at these headquarters. General Sibley is much gratified to learn of the precautions taken by you to prevent and punish any attempted Indian raids. The increase of force furnished by the returning expedition will be ample to insure the safety of the border against any contemplated attacks. You will receive an order herewith to furnish an escort of sixty men from Company L, Second Minnesota Cavalry, for a train of U. S. Indian Department stores and to guard Indian stragglers. The latter will comprise a small number of women and children from the neighborhood of Fort Snelling and of all the families of Indians not properly belonging to the scouts on the Redwood, either at or near their camp. The object is to return the stragglers to their own reservation. The instructions to Lieutenant McGrade will contain all that is necessary in detail for his guidance. It would be well to keep the scouts and those at their camp ignorant of the intended transfer of the

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*See Chivington to Curtis, Part I, p. 883.

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