of hostility against the whites, the treaty to be at an end with the first hostile act, and no consideration to be given on either side, except that the Indians shall keep the peace and that the authorities of the United States shall protect them against wrong from the whites. In this connection I invite your particular attention to the statement of the Indians themselves that this war was brought about by the bad conduct of the whites-agents and traders. The necessity of a change of Indian policy and an adoption of the trade regulations I have heretofore forwarded for approval are undoubtedly necessary to assure peace with Indians. Until the action of the War Department or of Congress be known I shall not permit intercourse between Indian agents and these Indians. Fair treatment and fair dealing are now alone necessary to keep peace with these Indians, and I again respectfully and earnestly urge upon the Department the adoption of the policy set forth in my letter of February 6* to the Secretary of war, and of the trade regulations above referred to.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST, Numbers 189.
Milwaukee, Wis., November 17, 1864.

* * * * *

II. Brigadier General C. T. Campbell, U. S. Volunteers, is relieved from temporary command of the Military District of Wisconsin.

By command Major-General Pope:

J. F. MELINE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,

Saint Paul, Minn., November 17, 1864.

Major J. F. MELINE,

A. A. A. G., Hdqrs. Dept. of the Northwest, Milwaukee, Wis.:

MAJOR: I beg leave respectfully to state for the information of Major-General Pope that in compliance with my instructions a commissioned officer and thirty-five men have been dispatched from Fort Abercrombie to establish a station midway between that post and Fort Wadsworth to facilitate communication with the latter during the winter months. The distance between the two forts is about eighty-five miles. The garrison of Fort Wadsworth is composed of three companies Second Minnesota Cavalry and one company U. S. Volunteers, it having been found impracticable to accommodate a large force with quarters in consequence of the want of proper material, the horse-power saw-mill making but slow progress, as the timber to be obtained is almost exclusively oak, which is hard to work. The command will be employed in getting out all the logs requisite to complete the fort during the winter, so that everything will be furnished as soon as possible in the spring. I am more and more satisfied that Fort Wadsworth will prove to be one of he most important military stations in the

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*See Vol. XXXIV, Part II, p. 259.

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