HDQRS. DIST. OF MINN., DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Saint Paul, Minn., May 17, 1864.

Colonel M. T. THOMAS,

Commanding Eighth Regiment, Saint Cloud or Sauk Centre:

COLONEL: Captain B. F. Jones, Second Regiment Minnesota Cavalry, has arrived here and reports that Fort Ripley, with all its ordnance stores and other valuable Government property, was left without an officer to command it and with only a guard of 25 invalids. Lieutenant-Colonel Rogers, or whoever succeeded him in the command of the post, should have by no means left the post without at least having a commissioned officer present, as per Special Orders of April 26, 1864, from these headquarters, to whom the public property could properly have been turned over by the officer responsible. You will take immediate measures to have the remainder of the men unfit for service in your regiment to rendezvous at Fort Ripley without unnecessary delay, and the ordnance and other stores properly turned over to Lieutenant Harris until some other officer can be detailed for the command.

By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

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

R. C. OLIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
Mouth of Red River, La., May 18, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

The troops from Red River arrived at Simsport, on the Atchafalaya, in the course of yesterday, and will reach Morganza, on the Mississippi, to-day. This army is in better condition than I supposed from the accounts that had reached me, and will soon be ready for offensive operations. Measures have been taken to concentrate the troops in the Department of the Gulf as much as possible, and those intended for the field will be assembled at one point and refitted as soon as possible. I will start up the river this evening for the purpose of making similar arrangements in the Department of Arkansas, I have no authentic statement yet of the losses sustained by Generals Banks and Steele in the late campaign. The offices at division headquarters will be established at Natchez for the present, and communication will reach me if addressed to that place.

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

CAIRO, ILL., May 18, 1864.

(Received 5.30 p. m.)

Major ECKERT,

Washington:

Steamer Grey Eagle, from Natchez, 12th, brings rumor that Polk had detached 10,000 of the 15,000 men in Mobile to operate against General Banks. Red River reported rising a little.

W. J. MASON.