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Major-General POPE:

WASHINGTON, November 23, 1864.

The Secretary of War directs that you report in person at the War Department.

H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, STATE OF WISCONSIN,

Maj. Gen. JOHN POPE,

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Madison, November 23, 1864.

Commanding Department of the Northwest, Milwaukee, Wis.: GENERAL: By direction of his Excellency the Governor, I have respectfully to again invite your attention to the existing troubles with the Indians upon the Upper Saint Croix and its tributaries. These troubles do not take the form of declared hostility on the part of the Indians, but are the more aggravating from the nominal professions of peace and friendship. The murder of three unoffending lumbermen, or residents, during the past summer and autumn, is confirmed, and gives evidence of a very bad spirit, to say the least, on the part of the Indians, and one that merits suitable punishment. A feeling of insecurity is engendered among the settlers, and anxiety and alarm lead some to forsake their homes. The Governor is desirous that such measures shall be taken as shall deter the Indians from further hostilities, and if possible secure the settlers from anxiety and alarm. The inclosed slip, from a late Polk County paper, while conveying no official information, is indicative of a feeling which is being engendered among the people. The Governor respectfully requests your consideration of the matter and such action as you may deem proper.

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I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
AUG. GAYLORD,
Adjutant-General of Wisconsin.

GENERAL ORDERS,

No. 50.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST,
Milwaukee, Wis., November 23, 1864.

At the request of the brigadier-general commanding the Military District of Iowa, the headquarters of that district are hereby transferred to Dubuque, Iowa.

By command of Major-General Pope:

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

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II. Brig. Gen. A. Sully will proceed immediately to Dubuque, Iowa, to which place his headquarters are this day transferred by General Orders, No. 50, current series, from these headquarters. By command of Major-General Pope:

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

* Omitted.

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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,
Milwaukee, Wis., November 23, 1864.

Brig. Gen. H. H. SIBLEY,

Commanding District of Minnesota, Saint Paul:

GENERAL: I desire you to report to me in writing as soon as practicable your opinion upon the following points:

First. Is our present Indian system conducive to the best interests of government and of Indians; and if not, state in what respects it is a failure.

Second. Is not the present system of treaty-making, involving as it does large presents of various kinds to Indians, rather an incentive to hostilities than a security of peace? Is it not also attended with frauds upon the Government and upon the Indians?

Third. What is your opinion as to doing away with our Indian system and turning over the whole charge of the Indians to the military authorities?

Fourth. In relation particularly to the Indian tribes who have been hostile for the last two years, is it or not judicious, in view of a permanent peace with them, that the whole question of their future management and control be left exclusively to the military authorities?

Fifth. Would not the relations with the Chippewas be more secure and satisfactory if these Indians were wholly under control of the military authorities without interposition of Indian agents and traders? Sixth. Ought not the whole question of trading with Indian tribes be left to the military authorities to regulate and control?

Seventh. Report concerning Sioux and Winnebago Reservation on Upper Missouri River and difficulties that have occurred in consequence; necessity of sending escorts with trains of supplies for them at very unseasonable times of year, and return of many of the Indians from the reservation to Minnesota; in fact, all that is important in this matter.

Eighth. I wish you to state freely the condition of our relations with the Chippewas and the cause of the dissatisfaction and hostility among them.

I do not wish you to enter into very much detail in answering any of these inquiries, as your letter will be submitted for the information of the War Department and the shorter it is the better. Please answer as soon as you can.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. POPE, Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST, Saint Paul, Minn., November 23, 1864.

Lieut. Col. WILLIAM PFAENDER,

Commanding Second Sub-District, Fort Ridgely, Minn.: COLONEL: Your two several dispatches of 17th instant and that of 18th instant have been duly received at these headquarters. General Sibley is gratified to learn of the safe return of the detachment under Lieutenant McGrade after their long and well-performed service as escort to the Indian Department train to the Missouri Reservation. You will receive an order herewith discharging all the scouts in your sub-district on 30th instant, excepting Lasher, Weymouth, and Stevens. Two hostile Indians belonging to Six's and Red Leg's bands of Sioux, respectively, have been killed by the scouts near Fort Wadsworth, Dak.

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Ter. Their avowed purpose was to take the life of Gabriel Renville,
chief of scouts. Should those of Indian or mixed blood, hitherto
employed as scouts in your sub-district, be found at any time during
the winter in a suffering condition with their families, you are author-
ized to issue a limited number of rations to them from time to time as
in your discretion the necessities of the case may demand.
By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. C. OLIN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SPECIAL SCOUTS,
Natchez, Miss., November 24, 1864.

Lieut. Col. C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. Gen., Military Division of West Mississippi: SIR: I have the honor to make the following statement in regard to the cotton trade in this department, which I feel confident is carried much further than you are aware of: Since I left this place, twentythree days ago, I have been in Confederate uniform a greater portion of the time, and I find that persons claiming to be agents of the United States Government, most of whom have papers from the local agent at Memphis, Tenn., are scattered all along the river for the purpose of buying cotton, for which they are to pay one-third in produce. They. (the agents) say when they talk to U. S. soldiers that the produce is to be such as will be of no material aid to the Confederate Government, but in talking to Confederates they tell them that they are to get gray cloth, provisions, boots and shoes, and some ammunition, and some quinine for family use. Our agents are permitted to go through their camps and their agents to go on board our transports, and in some cases their soldiers. At Bayou Mason I talked with ten Confederate soldiers, of Parsons' command, who were guarding down cotton. They told me they could get anything they wanted at the trading boats, and the fact that two regiments of Parsons' brigade are employed guarding down cotton at a time that they need their troops as much as at present is good evidence that the cotton trade is a profitable one for them. You will see by the copy of the letter, which I sent to you some fifteen days ago, which was taken from the saddle-bags of a Confederate soldier, what kind of produce they get (gun caps). At Stock Landing I found our agent from Memphis stopping at the same house where the Confederate scouts had their headquarters, a lieutenant and a private of which I captured there. This agent wanted me to treat the lieutenant very kindly, for he was a nice man, and had been riding with and aiding him (the agent) ever since he had been there. I asked this agent if his papers permitted him to buy cotton of the Confederate Government. He said they did, and added that the agent at Memphis told them to buy of Jefferson Davis if they could. I have conversed with many leading men in that country, who are in favor of the Confederacy, and they all expressed the same opinions in regard to the benefit to be derived by the Confederacy from this cotton trade, I being at the time in Confederate uniform and supposed by them to be a good Confederate. And from what I have seen and heard in regard to it, and the way it is and is likely to be carried on, I consider it one of the worst measures that could well be adopted.`

I am, sir, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
I. N. EARL,

First Lieut. Co. D, Fourth Wis. Cav., Comdg. Special Scouts,

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SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
No. 194.
New Orleans, La., November 24, 1864.

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7. Brig. Gen. Thomas J. McKean, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby relieved from duty as president of the general court-martial appointed by Special Orders, No. 159, paragraph 3, current series, from these headquarters, as soon as the case on which the court is now engaged has been concluded, when he will report to the major-general commanding the Department of the Gulf for assignment to duty.` By order of Maj. Gen. E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

MORGANZA, LA., November 24, 1864.
(Received 10.20 a. m.)

Lieut. Col. C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

The enemy's cavalry are hovering around all my lines. General Lawler drew in what few cavalry pickets there were and yesterday before sundown the enemy attempted to cut off my up-river outposts, killing the officer in command and several men. Last night they attacked my left, killing some and driving off the cattle. It is represented that a force, large or small, is crossing the Atchafalaya. It will not be possible to prevent the capturing of outposts without cavalry. Colonel Chrysler, Second New York [Veteran] Cavalry, is here to take away the thirty or more cavalry left and all the ineffective men. I earnestly ask that Colonel Chrysler, with his regiment, now at Baton Rouge, be ordered back, as they are all familiar with every bridle-path in this section. It is desirable that I should have an answer this morning before Colonel Chrysler leaves.

DANIEL ULLMANN, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., November 24, 1864.
Morganza:

Brig. Gen. DANIEL ULLMANN,

Your dispatch received. Brigadier-General Davidson, our chief of cavalry, is now at Baton Rouge. Please communicate with him. He has full authority to do what he thinks necessary.

C. T. CHRISTENSEN, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., November 24, 1864.
Baton Rouge:

Brig. Gen. J. W. DAVIDSON,

General Ullmann reports that the enemy's cavalry are harassing his lines and asks that the Second New York [Veteran] Cavalry, or a por

tion thereof, might be retained at Morganza. The general leaves it to your discretion to act in the matter as you think best and, if necessary, run over in a special boat to Morganza and see how matters really stand.

C. T. CHRISTENSEN, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

BATON ROGUE, November 24, 1864-4 p. m.
(Received 5 p. m.)

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Lieut. Col. C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

The cavalry brigade at Morganza reported at last report 2,168 men for duty, and 1,662 serviceable horses. (See report of Brigadier-General Roberts, chief of cavalry, November 22, 1864.) Of these I have now arrived here only 1,150, leaving at least 500 horses there of the brigade, and near 1,000 men. I don't see how the enemy can be everywhere, and a little enterprise on Ullmann's part would save him annoyance from guerrillas. If I can get a boat, I will probably run up to-night. Tell the general I am working hard and feel hopeful of being in good order, though Lee's sickness throws all the work on me. When Bailey comes I will be well off. I can leave positively on the 27th of November. Love to all.

J. W. DAVIDSON,
Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS,
Little Rock, Ark., November 24, 1864.

Maj. Gen. J. J. REYNOLDS,

Commanding Military Division of West Mississippi:

GENERAL: It is my opinion that the Arkansas can be relied on as a means of transportation for supplies to Fort Smith. The river is at present navigable and supplies have been forwarded by steamers sufficent to last until there shall be another rise, when a year's supply can be sent at once. If there had been a year's supply here for Fort Smith last winter it might have been sent there by steamers. There is every indication that we will have a navigable river. It has been cloudy and rainy here for several weeks, which is a sure indication of snow in the mountains. The bayous and sloughs are all full and the streams are high. At all events, I am opposed to breaking up Fort Smith for the following reasons: It has been strongly fortified at a very considerable expense, and can be held against great odds. It is a flanking arrangement for this department, and helps to cover Devall's Bluff, as well as Missouri and Kansas. To give up the whole northwestern portion of Arkansas to the rebels would be a breach of good faith on the part of the Government toward the loyal citizens of that section and to the friendly Indians of the Territory. If our troops should abandon Fort Smith the rebels would at once take possession of it, and prepare for raids, and there would be such a howl from Kansas and Missouri that Curtis would demand more troops that he might reoccupy and take it under his own wing. If Fort Gibson should be given up, which would necessarily follow the evacuation of Fort Smith, we should lose all influence over the friendly Indians, who would be compelled to plunder the

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