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531 Series I Volume XLI-II Serial 84 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part II

Page 531 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

as buffalo are reported to be plenty near its waters. I will inform you of the result of this scout as soon as Quinn and Joe return. everything is moving off smoothly here. I like the command very much. It is composed of as fine material as can fe found in the service. As I anticipated, I found the discipline very slack and the morale of the command anything but desirable. These things arose from causes which it is unnecessary for me to mention, but which are doubtless known to you through your official communications with the battalion. However, I find both officers and men anxious and willing to do their whole duty in the service. All they want is to be instructed how to do it. My reception here was all I could desire, and gave me assurance of the fullest support of all my officers and cheerful, willing obedience of the men. I have been able to get at all the facts in relation to the alleged false muster of Company D. These facts fully support all that has been charged by certain of the enlisted men of that company, and make on of the most glaring frauds I ever heard of in that connection in the service. I will forward you all the papers as soon as I can get them properly arranged.

I have the honor, certain, to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. POWELL ADAMS,

Major, Commanding Battalion and Post.


HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Ripley, Minn., August 2, 1864.

Captain R. C. OLIN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. of Minn., Saint Paul, Minn.:

SIR: I have the honor to state that I was visited yesterday by Spirit Day, a Cass Lake chief, and Drooping Wind, a Red Lake brave both of whom state that they have been to Washington this spring. Spirit Day said that he had come to inform me that Hole-in-the-Day had again become very dissatisfied, and that he was sending presents to the different chiefs and inviting them to join with him in making war upon the whites; that he wished to live on friendly terms with the whites, and that he knew they would lose much and gain nothing by getting into difficulty with them, and wished to know how they would be regarded in case Hole-in-the-Day should succeed in making trouble, whether belligerent or not, and whether or not they could rely upon our friendship and protection if they did not join with the enemies of the whites. I assured him that hey would not be considered belligerent unless they joined with our enemies in making war upon the whites, and that they could rely upon our friendship and protection so long as they remained true in their friendship to us. That we wished to remain on friendly terms with all the various bands of Chippewas, and because there was one bad chief it need not make the others bad, and need not cause a breach of friendship, and much more that is not necessary to repeat. He replied that he was satisfied; that he should to back to his people with a lighter heart, and if he learned anything further of a movement against us he would come and let us know of it. The above is substantially what transpired between us. You can judge better than I can of the importance to be attached to his statements. That Hole-in-the-Day is badly dissatisfied at the action that has been taken in regard to the treaty stipulations I have been informed by several residents of Crow Wing, and have not the least


Page 531 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.