The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-01-29

Oh1 1OllONlIlp cOIIlld-
MES and batteries are now at the Fort: Com
panies and X of the Sixth regiment: Com
pany II Of the Eighth: eight companies of the
Second cavalry; and Captain Sones' battery.
Also, convalescent detachment, under COM
mand OF Lieutenant Gale; two hundred and
of Lieutenant Co@gswell and one hundred and
ninety recruits for Old regiments mostly sent
in by the Provost Marshals In all about six
teen hundred men. Companies and D Of
the Second cavalry are at Fort Ripley. Com
panies A and c are at Fort Ridgley.
Col. MCLaren, of the Second cavalry is COM
mandant OF the post, and is deservedly popu-
lar with men and officers. His position is
q very responsible, one and, from the number of
different attachments under his command and
continual changes made by the arrival of some
and departure Of others, the duties are at no
time light, but are discharged promptly and
TO the general satisfaction of the COM
mand. Lieut.. Miller is Post Adjutant. Capt
Corning. Quartermaster; Captain Forbes Com
missary of Subsistence; Lieut.. Blakely, Ord
nance Officer Acting Assistant Surgeon
Thomas K. Potts Medical Purveyor and Post
Surgeon.
TIE HOSPITAL.
In a visit TO the different wards OF the Hos
pital, all of which we found clean, warm and
properly ventilated we were glad TO observe
but small proportion Of sickness to the COM
mand. The most severe cases, OF recent origin.
were Of pneumonia and three or four in num-
ber About seventy men are under treatment
in the Hospital, among whom are represented
all the regiments and batteries of this State,
and several of other States DR.. Potts has sole
charge OF the Hospital, though most Of the
cases arising in the Second cavalry are cared
for by the medical staff of that regiment and
but few are sent by them to the pos: hospital.
The number of sick in quarters, who report at
the Hospital, at sick call averages about fifty.
The sick and convalescent were grateful
enough for the ladies' favOrs and attentions on
Christmas and Thanksgiving days.
THE INDIAN PRISONERS.
In the guard house we found four Sioux
prisoners among whom was Little Crows son,
who, like good boy, aided an older Indian to
carry out the jail buckets or tubs. One of the
1uUEtuS, WHO WTOJc Ills ll;lIlc us JaIneS f1can,
has ingenously constructed with his knife
miniature representation Of saw mill. He
has whitfield out wheel to represent the water
wheel of a saw MILL to which he attached a
crank. Upon turning the wheel his saw frame
is propelled up and down, rapidly and regu-
larry. The cog wheels and running gear of
the carriage-way are nearly completed, all
made OF pine, with his knife, and when done
he will have very ingenious working repre-
sentation of such mills as he saw upon the
border. This Indian learned, we were told. to
read and write, from DR.. Riggs.
TIE SECOND CAVALRY.
The cavalry occupy the new barracks out
side the Fort. These were not completed at
the commencement of the cold terra, and part
were not at that time very comfortably sit
uated. Now, they are all right and the men
look hearty and contented
The other companies are quartered inside
the Fort.
Among the many old friends of members of
our visiting party, was Capt. Bob Slaughter
of the cavalry, Cat whose mess table we found
the Fort fare not at all unpalatable,) and sew
eral others who joined IN our hospitabe en-
tertainment.