safety. In that case you will furnish them subsistence when required, and afford them such facilities for safety and comfort as is in your power. Put arms and ammunition into the hands of all who are able to use them for their self-defense, if you have the arms to furnish. If arms are issued to teamsters with trains, take a memorandum receipt of wagon-master for the same. When issued to citizens they should organize themselves into squads and companies under the leadership of a competent person, who should receipt for all the arms. They should operate as an auxiliary force under your direction and control. Keep me advised of all matters of interest pertaining to your command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. G. BLUNT,

Major-General.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA, Numbers 6.
In the Field, August 26, 1864.

* * * * * *

II. Colonel S. W. Summers, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, is at his own request relieved from the command of the past of Fort Kearny, and will turn over all public property to Lieutenant Colonel William Baumer, First Regiment Nebraska Veteran Cavalry, and will report to these headquarters for duty.

By command of Brigadier-General Mitchell:

JNO. K. RANKIN,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

FORT KEARNY, August 26, 1864.

Colonel R. R. LIVINGSTON,

Commanding First Nebraska Cavalry:

COLONEL: Detail from your command, and direct them to report to General Mitchell, a field officer and about 100 men. Their immediate services are needed to command this post, and I, therefore, express to you my preference that your best informed and most reliable field officer be assigned to General Mitchell for this service.

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

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND SUB-DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA,
Fort Ridgely, August 26, 1864.

Captain R. C. OLIN,

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

CAPTAIN: The instructions received in two dispatches from district headquarters, dated the 16th and 17th, will be carried out. Lieutenant Darrow's command arrived after I had dispatched Lieutenant McGrade to the scouts' camp on the Redwood, and as the excitement at that time was much on the increase in Blue Earth County I was obliged to employ him in the manner reported to you previously. Lieutenant McGrade with his detachment returned yesterday by way of Lake Shetek without discovering any Indians. The condition of his horses was such that he did not think it advisable to proceed further west