The bands of Standing Buffalo, Sweet Corn, and any other bands of Sisseton Sioux who surrender to the United States, had best be located at Devil's Lake, I think, with the understanding that so long as they behave themselves and are quiet and peaceful they will be aided in every way by the military authorities, and protected in their buffalo hunts in the great region south and southwest of Devil's Lake. Possibly some place on the James River might be assigned them, but for reasons which will suggest themselves to you they should not be permitted to pass east of James River or south of the post on that river. The danger arising to them from the exasperated condition of the public mind in Minnesota, as well as danger to the people of the frontier from incursions by lawless young men of the trible, renders it essential that these Indians be kept as far as possible from the frontier of Minnesota and Iowa.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

WASHINGTON, April 26, 1864-2.15 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Culpeper, Va.:

Your telegram of the 22nd, asking for the removal of General Banks, was submitted to the President, who replied that he must await further information before he could act in the matter. General Steele was at Camden on the 20th, and was informed of General Banks's disaster. An order to him to return to Little Rock would probably reach him in five or six days. One to General Banks would not reach hemin less than two or three weeks. This would cause a conflict in your proposed instructions to these officers, if Banks should have advanced on Shreveport, for Steel would then have returned to Little Rock. Would it not be better to send the instructions contained in your telegram to Banks, and a copy of them to General Steele, with orders to communicate with Banks or has successor in command, and to carry out the spirit of your instructions as in his judgment the condition of affairs at the time would require? I omitted to state that Admiral Porter says the failure of Banks' expedition and the withdrawal of our forces from Red River will result in the loss of nearly all of Louisiana and a part of Arkansas, where there is already a pretty strong Union sentiment. If General Banks is withdrawn from the field General Franklin will be the senior officer left.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General, Chief of Staff.

CULPEPER, VA., April 26, 1864.

(Received 7.45 p. m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

The way you propose to communicate orders to General Steele and General Banks will be better than as I directed. General Franklin is an able officer, but has been so mixed up with misfortune that I would not select him for a large separate command, but he is so much