III. The enlisted and drafted men and substitutes heretofore assigned to duty with Third Minnesota Battery are hereby excepted from the operation of the next preceding paragraph of this order until further instructions are received from department headquarters.

IV. Captain F, First Regiment U. S. Volunteers, will march from Fort Ridgely to Fort Wadsworth without unnecessary delay, and on arrival at the last-mentioned post will reported to the commanding officer for duty.

V. Company G, First Regiment U. S. Volunteers, and the section of 6-pounders of the Third Minnesota Battery, under Lieutenant Whipple, will march without unnecessary delay from Fort Ridgely, via Forest City and Saint Cloud, to Fort Ripley, and report to the commanding officer of the last-mentioned post for duty.

VI. Company E, Second Minnesota Cavalry, will be relieved by Company G of that regiment at the line of outposts north of the Minnesota River, and will then march without delay to Sauk Centre and take post there. The commanding officer of the company will, immediately upon his arrival, assume command of the post, relieve the detachment of Company K, Second Minnesota Cavalry, now there, and direct it to rejoin the company at Fort Snelling and report his proceedings to these headquarters by letter.

VII. Company F, Second Minnesota Cavalry, will be relieved from duty as the outposts south of the Minnesota River by Company I of the same regiment, and will then march to Fort Ridgely and report to the commanding officer at that post for duty until further orders.

VIII. The assistant quartermaster at Fort Ridgely will furnish the necessary transportation to carry into effect the four preceding paragraphs of this order.

By command of Brigadier General H. H. Sibley:

R. C. OLIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MILWAUKEE, October 22, 1864.

Major E. P. TEN BROECK,

Davenport:

Proceed immediately to Keokuk. Ascertain condition of southern border and whether danger exists that is represented. Report by telegraph.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO, Santa Fe, N. Mex., October 22, 1864.

Major General JAMES G. BLUNT, U. S. Volunteers,
Commanding an Expedition against the Kiowas and Comanches, Fort Larned, Kans.:

GENERAL: I received a letter from Major-General Curtis dated the 19th ultimo, in which he says:

General Blunt is at or near Fort Larned looking out for Indians,and may co-operate with you in crushing out some of the vile hordes that now harass our line of communication.

This is to inform you that a report has reached me, coming through Mexicans, that the Kiowas and Comanches are now encamped on a