thereto, so as to be available for early movements in the spring. The Eighth Minnesota Volunteers leave for Nashville to-day, as I have just telegraphed you. The men have nearly all rejoined their regiment, and seem very much ashamed of their late gross breach of discipline in leaving the camp without authority. Three of the companies did not participate in the extraordinary proceeding, but remained at their posts. The whole of the upper prairies have been burned over, rendering it difficult to subsist the animals employed in military movements. I have deemed it proper to separate the companies of U. S. Volunteers, and have ordered one company to be stationed at each of the forts - Abercrombie, Wadsworth, Ridgely, and Ripley. A great many of these men can only be controlled by the strong hand, being desperate characters and given to open boasts of their secession proclivities. I dare not trust them except at posts where there are other troops. I trust you will be persuaded of the necessity of ordering a proper military prison to be built at Fort Snelling. Such a building is indispensable.

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

H. H. SIBLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., October 26, 1864.

Major J. M. THOMPSON,

Commanding Fort Ripley, Minn.:

MAJOR: You are respectfully informed, in reply to your dispatch of 18th instant, duly received at these headquarters, that a full company of U. S. Volunteers and a section of 6-pounders of Third Minnesota Battery have been ordered from Fort Ridgely to report to you for duty without delay. General Sibley regrets to learn of the diminution of your effective force by sickness, but hopes enough men can be spared from guard duty to enable the acting assistant quartermaster to progress rapidly with the construction of the stables, as the order for the removal of the horses and mules that are to wintered at Fort Ripley must be given very soon. The order for the march of the above-mention detachments was given on 22nd instant, so that your garrison will be amply re-enforced in ten or twelve days. It is probable that still another company will be ordered to the post under your command before the closing in of winter.

By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

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

R. C. OLIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., October 26, 1864.

Major R. H. ROSE,

Commanding Fort Wadsworth, Dak. Terr.:

MAJOR: Your dispatch of - instant has been received. It is to be hoped that the instructions to you of 8th instant from these headquarters have reached [you]. How it could have been delayed when the dispatches of 9th and 11th instant had been duly received by you