HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., November 1, 1864.

Major R. H. ROSE,

Commanding Fort Wadsworth, Dak. Terr.:

MAJOR: No late dispatches have been received from you at these headquarters. General Sibley is anxious to learn that the quarters for your command are so far progressed with as to insure their occupation before the setting in of winter. It appears from Lieutenant-Colonel Pfaender's report that Company H, Second Cavalry, has arrived at Fort Ridgely, but it does not seem that many horses were sent down in charge of it, Colonel Pfaender only mentioning seventy; whether belonging to other companies he does not state. General sibley fears that you have dispatched Company M, by way of Fort Abercrombie, with the animals of the command, which was not in accordance with his intention, as his arrangements were made to leave four companies of your regiment at Wadsworth and one company (instead of two) of First Regiment U. S. Volunteers. The latter company is now en route from Fort Ridgely to the post under your command. In a few days you will receive an order constituting a military commission to try the captive Indian (Cho-we-tah-kah) now at the post under your command. You will take every precaution against the escape of the prisoner, and give instructions to have him shot without hesitation should it be necessary to prevent the success of any such attempt on his part. The labor of preparing quarters, &c., will prevent for a time much attention to drill, but when time allows that should be made a particular point, and the most stringent discipline enforced among the troops under your immediate command. The company U. S. Volunteers will probably require particular supervision in both of these respects. It is the intention of General Sibley to place the force in this district in the most efficient look to the field and line officers to aid him in all the details requisite to that end. The winter must not be spent in idleness at the various military posts and stations, but taken up in school of instructions, drill, &c., whenever other duties will permit. Major brown has not yet arrived, but is looked for daily, with information of the further movements of the Indians. The chief quartermaster of the department has been requested to determine the question pending with regard to the reception of the hay at Fort Wadsworth, if he has not already done so, that we may know what to depend on.

By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. PRESCOTT,

Lieutenant, Aide-de-Camp, and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., November 1, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM PFAENDER,

Commanding Second Sub-District, Fort Ridgely, Minn.:

COLONEL: Your dispatches of 27th and 29th ultimo, accompanying that from General Sully, have been received at these headquarters. The disorderly conduct of Companies A and F, First U. S. Volunteers, mentioned by you, had already been made known unofficially to General Sibley, hence the policy adopted by him of separating the com-