have hung upon your lines. You have been uniformly brave,
vigilant and obedient to orders. By your efforts, the war has
been confined to the border; without them, it would have
penetrated into the heart of the state.

"Major General Pope has assumed command of the Northwest, and
will control future operations. He promises a vigorous
prosecution of the war. Five companies of the Twenty-fifth
Wisconsin Regiment and five hundred cavalry from Iowa are
ordered into the region now held by you, and will supply the
places of those whose terms of enlistment shortly expire. The
department of the southern frontier, which I have had the honor
to command, will, from the date of this order, be under the
command of Colonel M. Montgomery of the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin,
whom I take pleasure in introducing to the troops and citizens
of that department as a soldier and a man to whom they may
confide their interests and the safety of their country, with
every assurance that they will be protected and defended.

"Pressing public duties of a civil nature demand my absence
temporarily from the border. The intimate and agreeable
relations we have sustained toward each other, our union in
danger and adventure, cause me regret in leaving you, but will
hasten my return.

"CHAS. E. FLANDRAU,
"_Colonel Commanding Southern Frontier._"

This practically terminated my connection with the war. All matters yet
to be related took place in other parts of the state, under the command
of Colonel Sibley and others.

COLONEL SIBLEY MOVES UPON THE ENEMY.

We left Colonel Sibley, on the 4th of September, at Fort Ridgely, having
just relieved the unfortunate command of Major Joseph R. Brown, after
the fight at Birch Coulie. Knowing that the Indians had in their
possession many white captives, and having their rescue alive uppermost
in his mind, the colonel left on the battlefield at Birch Coulie the
following communication, attached to a stake driven in the ground,
feeling assured that it would fall into the hands of Little Crow, the
leader of the Indians.

"If Little Crow has any proposition to make, let him send a
half-breed to me, and he shall be protected in and out of camp.

"H. H. SIBLEY,
"_Colonel Commanding Military Expedition._"

The note was found, and answered by Little Crow in a manner rat