The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-09
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT,

Wing to Saint Vincent, and to transfer the
grant in aid of road from some point
between Saint Anthony and Crow Wing,
north. easterly to Lake Superior. The
resolution to take effect from the filing in
the General Land Office of the acceptance
by the authorities of the State, of such
exchange or substitution.
Your early attention is invited to this
subject.
MILITARY AFFAIRS.
During the past year, the military de-
Dastment of the State Government has been
of increasing Importance. The fifth regi-
ment, second company of Sharp-shooters,
and second battery of light artillery, were
raised during the early part of the year, and
were together with the fourth regiment, af-
ter it filled its ranks, sent, at the opening
of navigation, to the seat of war.
When the necessities of the General
Government compelled it to again appeal
to the patriotism Of the loyal citizens for
an additional force of 100000 men to pro-
tect the integrity and liberties of the coun-
try, immediate steps were taken to raise
and organize the quota Of troops assigned
to this State, being 1862 men. Pursuant
to orders issued from the Adjutant Gene
rails Office for that purpose, five new in
fantry regiments, numbering in the aggre-
gate 1882 men, and one cavalry regiment
numbering 1000 men were mustered into
the United States service, the former for
the period of three and the latter for the
period of one year. Thus the alacrity, with
which our citizens responded to the seve-
raj calls for volunteers, saved the State from
the necessity of resorting to draft, and
even enabled her to furnish the General
Government 320 troops in excess of the
quota
Besides the troops mentioned, number
of men were recruited for the old regi-
ments, of whom Is have been reported to
the Adjutant Generals Office.
The organization and equipment of the
regiments raised under the two last calls of
the President have been attended with but
little expense to the government; which is
in part due to the strict economy practiced
by the Adjutant General, as acting Quar-
termaster General.
During the Indian war, there have also
been organized % companies of irregular
militia, numbering in the aggregate over
1000 men, who, assisting the United States
volunteers, have done good service in pro-
tecting our frontier.
TO the whole country, and more espec-
tally to this State, the absence of an avail
able militia force has proved a great ca
lamity, and 1 invite your earnest attention
to the plan of organizing an efficient and
always disposable militia, proposed by the
Adjutant General, to whose report refer
you for the particulars
1t is a source of eXcusabe pride, we
trust to every Minnesotian that his State,
which in 1850 possessed a population of
only 5000, should, within the last few
months, have been able to furnish the Fed
eIal government with an army of 10000
men, while at the same time she unaided
crushed out the most formidable Indian up
rising known in history.
Can we over-estimate the future of such
a people?
In the war against the Sioux Indians,
our citizens responded, with alacrity, to the
call made upon them. Many gallant men
fell in the service, and many were returned
to their friends with honorable wounds. 1t
wasso, also with many of the volunteers, who
in the haste with which they were COM
PEELED to leave for the frontier, had not
time to pass through the formality FLEEING
mustered into the service.
T fhoroEorn honr IF x,o,, of On oorIv Ior,
of the session, to present their case, in the
form of a memorial, to the Congress of the
United States, and ask that the families of
the slain, as well as the wounded, may be
placed on the pension rolls Of the country.
In the months Of June and July, l per-
sonally called upon every sick and wound
ed Minnesota soldier, then in the st. Louis
Hospitals, and also visited the Regiments
and Batteries of Artillery in Tennessee,
Mississippi and Alabama.
Through the agency of gentlemen APP
pointed at New Y orS and Philadelphia,
and others occasionally sent to ST. Louis,
Cairo, and other points on the Mississippi,
and to Kentucky, many who had been lin
gering hopelessiy in thy hospitals, have
been discharged, and the comfort of others
has been improved.
THE INDIAN WAR.
FIN my message to the Legislature at its
extra session in September last, l gave, in
detail, history of the Sioux raid upon
our borders. SO far as it had then trans
PRED.
At that time, Col. Sibley, with a COM
mand of fifteen hundred men, had just ar
rived at Fort Ridgley, under Instructions
to prosecute offensive operations with all
possible vigor and dispatch.
Some three hundred women and children
were captives in the hands of those fends,
exposed to all the insults and outrages
which savage ingenuity could devise or
demoniac lust and malignity inhict.
The rescue of these persons, from cap
tivity worse than death, was the first object
which engaged the attention Of our forces
and their commander. Possessed of an in
innate knowledge of the habits and char
acter of the willy foe, with whom he was
to deal, acquired from long residence in
their vicinity, Col. Sibley adopted tenn
porizing policy unsuited, indeed, to the in
tensely excited state of the public mind,
but which subsequent events have album
dainty justified.