WASHINGTON, April 22, 1864-2.50 p. m.

Major-General POPE:

General Sibley's letter of April 6, with your indorsement of the 11th, is received. The Secretary of War authorizes you to make such disposition as you may deem best for guarding and supporting those Indian women and all other Indian captives which may come within your military possession during the war.

H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,
Milwaukee, Wis., April 22, 1864.

Brigadier General H. H. SIBLEY, Commanding District of Minnesota:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 19th is received. Of course if the supplies fail to arrive in time Brackett's battalion will not be able to reach Sioux City by the 5th of May. I don't think it of consequence that it should. But the condition of the Minnesota River need not and must not deadly the march of the column which is to join General Sully. This force only needs to carry provisions enough for the march to the Missouri River, say fifteen days (a large allowance) from Mankato. No depot of supplies need to be established for this column, as it could march with the proper supplies to last to the Missouri quite easily, even from Saint Paolo. If you will calculate you will find that 1,500 men will consume about 2,800 pounds of commissary stores per day (beef being driven on the hoof); therefore twenty wagons will carry twenty days' supply of rations for this force.

I mention this to you because it is essential that the troops for General Sully be not delayed on any account whatever. Their movement is not in any way dependent upon the condition of the Minnesota River, and ought not to be upon anything else. Very little else than supplies sufficient to carry them to the Missouri is necessary, as all their ammunition, &c., has been sent up the Missouri by General Sully. Your letter makes me uneasy, and I cannot understand what occasion there is for depots for a light column of troops, which has not certainly over twenty days' march to make to reach abundant supplies. I shall trust to you, general, that no such delay as you hint at be permitted to be made. The horses I send you are Canadian ponies, small, but strong and hardy, and much better able to endure the hardship of a campaign on the plains than American horses. I inclose copy of a letter to General Sully for your information. Don't rely upon any uncertainty of river navigation, but when the time comes be ready to move everything whether the river is high or low.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINN., DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., April 22, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM PFAENDER,

Commanding Second Sub-District, Saint Peter:

COLONEL: Your dispatch of 18th instant has been received at these headquarters. Although the order to the Sixth Regiment