Jno. Pope, April 4, 1863

COLONEL: I have the honor to report, for the information of the General-in-Chief, that I have received letters from General Cook, informing me that scouts and runners, whom he sent up the Missouri some weeks since, have returned and report that the Indians having been informed of the proposed movements against them from the Missouri and Minnesota, have moved off toward Devil’s Lake, with the purpose of taking refuge in the British possessions on the Lower Red River. From the account sent by General Cook, it seems that the fact of the expedition moving against them as soon as the spring opens was com. municated to the ludians by white traders from the Selkirk settlements. who invited them, in view of their danger, to move into the British possessions, assuring them of protection and assistance in the way of arms and ammunition. I do not doubt that much of this information is true, and that the Indians, if they find themselves unable to resist, will retreat north beyond our frontier. How much assistance they will receive, or how much encouragement will be given them at the British post and agencies I do not know, but it seems now probable that the expeditions will find none of these Indians within our own territory. I am going up to Saint Paul in the course of a couple of weeks, and shall instruct Generals Sibley and Cook to pursue these hostile Indians who have committed depredations within our lines, or whose usual homes are in our country, wherever they may go, regardless of boundary lines. These orders will be carried out unless I am otherwise instructed by the Government. Otherwise the result will be that the Indians, having a secure place of refuge, will be at liberty to resume hostilities whenever a favorable oceasion presents itself, and all expeditions against them must fail of success. This result will involve the necessity of keeping the large force in this department constantly on the frontier until the Indians choose to close their hostilities. Unless they are followed into the Selkirk settlements, or anywhere else they may choose to go, the campaign against them must of necessity be a failure, unless, indeed, they choose to risk a battle. If they are not pursued, as soon as our forces are with. drawn to Minnesota and Missouri, the Indians will follow them up and renew their attacks upon defenseless settlements. Unless thoroughly punished this summer, there will be constant difficulty with them for years tocome. If the Government do not desire me to push into the British possessions in pursuit of any hostile Indians, 1

respectfully