December next, after which they will be discontinued. A corresponding reduction has been made in the expenditures, amounting, as the estimates will show, to the annual sum of twelve thousand seven hundrend and fifty dollars, in the ordinary operations of that branch of the public service. The pro gress of the system of emigration will enable the department to carry into effect your instructions with relation to a further dimunition of these expenses, and no opportunity will be omitted, consistently with the public inte rest, to accomplish this desirable object.

The important duties imposed upon the department by the act of Congress of June 7, 1832, entitled "An act supplementary to the act for the relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the revolution," have been executed as far as possible. As will be seen by a repor of the officer in charge of the Pension Bureau, upwards of twenty thousand applications have been presented under that act. Of these, more than six thousand have been examined, and have been admitted, rejected, or returned for supplementary action. The number of cases so far exceeded the anticipations, which had been formed, that the strength of the office was wholly inadequate to a prompt examination of them; and a system of procedure was therefore adopted, involving some additional expense, (to meet which it is hoped an appropriation wil be made,) but calculated greatly to facilitate the execution of the business. Additional clerks were employed, and a division of labor was established among them, by which each case could be thoroughly exam ined, and a brief analysis submitted in a prescribed form. By assigning to particular persons the duty of deciding whether these condensed statements present such claims as come within the established regulations, every reasonable facility, compatible with a proper investigation, is given to the pro gress of the business, and yet important action upon the whole is intrusted only to five principal clerks in the bureau, who, from their experience, or other qualifications, a e fully competent to the discharge of this duty, and who act under the more immediate direction of the faithful officer who has so long presided over the Pension Bureau.

It is certainly very desirable, that all these claims should be investigated and decided with the least possible de ay. The bounty or the justice of their country has come late enough to the remnant of that heroic band, who laid the foundations of our national prosperity, without the occurrence of further unnecessary delay in the administration of the law; and I have felt it my duty to cause the most prompt and vigorous measures, within the reach of the de partment, to be taken, in order to effect this object.

Still, a just regard to the public interest, and the exercise of proper precautions to guard against fraudulent claims, necessarily interpose delays in the management of this business, which, without a knowledge of the circumstances, may have appeared unreasonable. But they are not so. They could not, and cannot be, avoided. The regulations, adopted to give effect to the act, and reported at the last session to the Pension Committees of both Houses, proceeded, in some measures, upon new principles, in the system of evidence required to be submitted. It was manifest, that if the plan adopted with great propriety, fourteen years ago, when the first pension act was passed, were adherred to in all cases arising under the recent law, but few would he found, who could claim its benefits. Since that period, death has reduced the number of the revolutionary patriots,, and advanced age and infirmity have enfeebled the powers of the survivors. Direct positive evidence, therefore, of identity and service cannot be procured in many cases, nor without difficulty, in scarcely any. In this state of things, and where no documentary evidence exists, (and this has been preserved in but few of the States,) the applicant is allowed to state in detail the nature, exten', and luration, of his service, and all the important facts connected with it, which he can recollect. The regulations prescribe the general mode in which this leclaration must be made, and the questions to be put to the applicant. The proceeding must take place before some court of record, except in cases of

peculiar infirmity; and the favorable opinion of the court is indispensable to the success of the application. The declaration must also be corroborate ( by the testimony of respectable individuals, acquainted with the applicant and bearing evidence to the traditionary belief of his revolutionary services, in the neighborhood where he has resided.

It is obvious, that the mere preparation and transmission of these papers ought not to entitle the party to the relief he seeks. If it did, great frauds would be practised. The genera form of the proceedings is an important auxiliary in the administration of these duties, but it is not all; nor is it in deed the principal element in the process of investigation. The narrative of the applicant, referring to the names of the officers; to the numbers and stations of regiments and corps; and to marches, battles, and other historical events, is carefully examined, and compared with the records in the department, and with such facts, connected with the revolutionary anuals, as have been collected, during a series of many years of constant labor and attention, in the Pension Office. It is believed, that this course ot investigation and comparison is as free from objection, as any plan which could have been adopted; and that a just medium has been preserved between that severity of administration, which would have rendered nugatory the provisions of the law, and that laxity, which would have opened the Treasury to false and fraudulent claims.

But the labor of investigation which this course of proceeding imposes upon the department, is apparent, and it is without remedy. An appropriation is reques-ed in order to increase the number of clerks, as far as is pruden and compatible execution of the law. Should this be granted, the whole subject will be disposed of with as little delay as possible, agreeably to the intentions of the Legislature, and to the expectations of the country. Very respectfully, Sir, I have the honor o be, your obedient servan1, LEWIS CASS

MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMY, IN 1832.

Extract from the Report from the Major General of the Army, Nov. 1832, In the month of March last, intelligence was received that the Menomonies, exasperated by a wanton and unprovoked attack and murder committed by the Sacs and Foxes on an unarmed party of their tribe, near the Prairie du Chien, in the month of August previous, meditated a descent on those tribes with the intention of taking revenge for that outrage. Apprehending that this movement would lead to a general war among the Indians on the northwestern frontiers, General Atkinson was directed to proceed to Rock Island, with the effectual force at Jefferson Barracks, and demand of the Sacs and Foxes the surrender of the persons concerned in the murder of the Menomonies; at the same time to station troops, to be drawn from the posts on the Upper Mississippi, and from Fort Winnebago, at points on the Mississippi from which they might intercept the Menomonies in their contemplated descent, turn them back, and inform them that the Government had dertermined to see that justice should be done. While these measures were in progress, a large party of Sacs and Foxes under Black Hawk, among whom were those concerned in the attack and murder of the Menomonies, crossed the Mississippi at the Yellow Banks, and, uniting with the Prophet's band of Winnebagoes, in all about 800 or 1000 strong, took a position on Rock river, and assumed an attitude of defiance. Under these circumstances, it was not in the power of the friendly Sac and Fox Indians to surrender the murderers as demanded, although they had expressed a willingness so o do. Thus situated, General Atkinson did not conceive that the force under his command was sufficient to justify him in attacking the hostile party, lest an unsuccessful attempt should add to their numbers the wavering and disaffected, and especially as they had not, as yet committed any act of hostility, although they evinced a desire to make war upon the whites.

The people settled on the frontiers of Illinois, alarmed at the appearance of so large a band of Indians in their immediate vicinity, with indications of no riendly feelings, fed from their farms into the interior of the State. The Governor of the State ordered out, in haste, and for no definite period, a brigade of militia, to assemble on Rock river. These oops after a march across the country, to Ottawa, in quest of the Indians, became anxious for their discharge; which the Governor granted, retaining of those who were discharged, and volunteered for a further term of twenty days, enough to form six companies. In the mean time, however, instructions were sent to General Atkinson, authorizing him to call on the Governor of Illinois for such a militia force as would, with the reguler troops under his command, enable him to act efficiently. Accordingly, three thousand mounted volunteers were ordered into the field by the Governor, on the requisition of General Atkinson and assembled at Fort Deposit, near Ottawa, about the 18th of June, where they were organized Towards the latter part of that month, the campaign was opened with these troops, and about four hundred regulars, then at Dixon's ferry on the Rock river. Black Hawk, finding himself unable to cope with so large a force, retired intothe swamps and fastnesses, sending out, at the same time, parties of active warriors to pick up struggles, and to attack defenceless settlements. In this manner, he annoyed the people residing in that part of Michigan called the Mining District, and murdered a number of our citizens, men, women, and children. The people in different directions in the exposed country, fortified themselves, and, by occasional sallies, inflicted punishment on these ruthless savages. With a view to cover the exposed settlements in the counties of Joe-Davises, in Illinois, and loway in Michigan, and to intercept the Indians, should they attempt to cross in that direction, General Atkinson detached one brigade into that country; and, with the remaining force under his command, consisting of four hundred and fifty regulars, and about two thousand mounted volunteers moved in the direction of the Four Lakes, in pursuit of the main body of the Indians, which was then understood to be encamped in a strong position in the swamps about ten miles above Lake Goosh-we-hawn. General Atkinson halted his jarmy on White Water creek for the purpose of ascertaining the exact posi tion of the Indians. After being frustrated in his attempts to discover them, he was obliged to disperse his mounted volunteers on account of the law state of the supplies intended for their subsistence. One portion under General Henry, was sent to Hamilton's a distance of forty-five miles; and another, under General Dodge, to Fort Winnebago, a distance of thirty-five milestwo points where provisions were expected to be in deposite. Having received the supply of provisions, Generals Henry and Dodge returned to the swamp, on the west side of Rock river, with a view of obtaining some information concerning the enemy. At the same time, General Atkinson, with the regular troops, and General Alexander's brigade of mounted volunteers, moved up on the east side of the swamp, with the same intention. Black Hawk, finding himself likely to be pressed on all sides, and being no longer able to supply himself with the means of subsistence, broke up his camp, and marched towards the Mississippi. The volunteers under Generals Dodge and Hery, discovering the enemy's trail, pursued it and came up with him on the 21st of July, on the left bank of the Ouisconsin, about twenty miles below Fort Winnebago, where an engagement ensued, which lasted until 7 o'clock in the afternoon, during which the Indians found means to convey, across the Ouisconsin, their non-combatants and baggage. The volunteers having marched forty miles on the day of the action, exposed to the rain for more than six hours, and their arms being wet and out of order, were not in a condition to continue the pursuit that night. The next morning they found the Indians had crossed the river in bark canoes. which, they had, on the emergency of the occasion, prepared. The loss on the part of the volunteers was one killed and seven wounded; that of the Indians, it was found afterwards, amounted to sixty-eight killed, together with a great number wounded.

The moment General Atkinson was informed that the volunteers were on the trail of the enemey, he marched in pursuit, and arrived at the Blue Mounds, near the Quisconsin, where he was joined, on the evening of the 23d of July, by the volunteers under Generals Dodge and Henry, who had fretired to that place for a supply of provisions. The Army being re reshed and provisioned, a select body, consisting of four hundred regulars under Colonel Taylor of the first regiment of Infantry and detachments of Generals Henry, Dodge, Posey and Alexander's mounted volunteers, amounting in all to thirteen hundred men; crossed the Ouisconsin on the 27th and 28th of July, under General Atkinson, took up the trail of the enemy, and pursued it by forced marches, through a broken and difficult country, until the morning of the 2d of August, when they came up with the main body, on the left bank of the Mississippi, opposite the mouth of the Ioway; which they attacked defeated, and dispersed, with a loss on the part of the Indians, of upwards of one hundred and fifty men killed. Many were slain is attempting to cross the river; others escaped in that direction, while the remainder among whom was Black Hawk, fled into the interior of the Winnebago country. Our loss in this engagement was compara ively small, being only five regulars killed and four wounded: of the volunteers. two officers and thirteen privates wounded.

On information being received by General Atkinson that the Indians had quitted the swamps in the neighborhood of the Four Lakes, and marched towards the Mississippi, he despatched instructions to the commanding officer of Prairie du Chien, to take measures to intercept them, should they attempt to descend the Ouisconsin, or cross the Mississippi. In consequence of these instructions, a guard and an armed flat was stationed on the Quisconsin, about twenty-five miles from its junction with the Mississippi; by which means a number of those who escaped from the engagement on he Quisconsin were killed or captured. A steamboat in the employ of the Quartermaster's Department armed with a field piece, and manned with about twenty men, was despatched up the Mississippi, to watch the motions of the Indians, and, on the 1st of August, discovered a large body of them on the left bank, making preparations to cross that river. "The Indians at first attempted to deceive our party by declaring themselves to be Winne bagoes, and displaying white flags, at the same time nviting them to land. But the officer in command being aware of their intentions, fired upon them, and killed wenty-five of their number. The fire was smarily returned by the Indians, but without effect. This circumstance fortunately checked the Indans in their attempt to cross the river, and led to the action of the 2nd of August.

The enemy being thus cut up and dispersed, General Atkinson conceived it unnecessary to pursue him further. He, therefore, fell down with his force to Prairie du Chien; from which place was despatced on both sides of the Mississippi, parties of friendly Indians, to follow the fugitives and bring them in; and it is believed that not an individual composing the band of Black Hawk, has escaped being either killed or captured.

From the information which had been received at the seat of Government, of the state of things on the frontier, and with a desire of putting a speedy termination to the war, without calling for any additional militia force, o ders were given on the 16th of June, for all the force that conld be spared from the seaboard, the Lakes, and the Lower Mississippi, to repair at once to the scene of action, and Majo General Scott was directed to assume the general conduct of the war. Under this order, nine companies f artillery, equipped as infantry drawn from Forts Monroe and McHenry, and from the harbor of New York, with a detachment of two hundred and eight recruits from the last mentioned place, and nine companies of infantry from the posts on the lakes, a ounting, in all, to upwards of one thousand men, took up their march for Chicago, near the head of Lake Michigan, the point of rendezvous. Besides this force, two companies of infantry from Ba on Rouge, Louista: a

proceeded, by the way of the Mississippi, to the head quarters of Genera Atkinson.

From the promptness with which this movement was begun, and the rapidity with which it was conducted, reasonable hopes were entertained that the campaign would be of but short duration, and the hostile Indians completely subdued. Unfortunately, however, the cholera was just at this time making its way into the United States from Canada, and infected our troops while on board the steamboats, in their passage up the lakes; and such was the rapidity with which this disease spread among them, that in a few days, the whole of the force seat by the lakes was rendered incapable of taking the field. Some were landed at Fort Gratiot, others were stopped at Detroit, while the principal part reached Chicago in a most deplorable condition. Of the six companies of artillery which left Fort Monroe, five companies arrived at Chicago, a distance of eighteen hundred miles, in the short space of eighteen days-a rapidity which is believed to be unprecedented in military movements. The loss by cholera in that detachment alone, was equal to one out of every three men. General Scott reached Chicago with the first detachment on the 10th of July, where he learned that General Atkinson, with his army, was at Lake Goosh-we-hawn, about eighty miles distant. Here the General found himself in a most perplexing predicament; only a part of his troops had arrived, and they were dreadfully afflicted with the cholera. The remainder, which he daily expected, without knowing the cause of their delay, did not appear. He made General Atkinson acquainted with his arrival and orders, but dared not approach him with troops infected with a disorder that might, by being communicated to the army in the field, render the force of General Atkinson, like his own, unfit to prosecute the war, and thereby defeat the very object for the accomplishment of which he had come. Under this painful anxiety, General Scott directed General Atkinson to continue his operations without reference to him, professing, at the same time, the greatest confidence in his ability to bring the war to a successful issue, if the means at his disposal would enable him to do so. General Scott, however, after waiting a reasonable time, and not finding it Possible to bring his troops into the field, left Colonel Eustis in command of them, with orders to march in the direction of the enemy, as soon as it would be prudent to move, and proceeded himself to join General Atkinson. Galena, he received intelligence of the decisive action of the 2d of August. He thence proceeded to P aire du Chien, and having made all the necessary arrangements for bringing the Indians who had commenced the war, within hs power, he retired to Rock Island, to enter into nego iations with those of the Sac and Fox Indians who took no part in the war, and the other tribes interested in the settlement of a peace. The troops under Colonel Eustis, in the mean time, marched across the country to Rock River, and were useful in making the necessary arrangements to give effect to the meeting of the Indians. Impressed with the folly of opposing the Government, and convinced of the impropriety of the conduct of those who were the aggressors, the several tribes yielded to a accommodation, at once beneficial o themselves, and satisfactory, it is to be hoped to the United States Black Hawk and a number of chiefs, are held as hostages under the treaty; the rest of the prisoners were returned to their respective tribes.

At

The war being concluded, the volunteers were discharged, and the several detachments of regular troops were ordered to their respective quarters, except two companies of the fourth regiment of arti ery, which remain to garrison Fort Gratiot, on Lake Huron.

The corps of mounted rangers, authorized by the act of Congress of the 15th June, 1832, has been raised, but not in time to partake of he campaign against the Indians Three of the companies have been ordered to Fort G bson, to range the southwestern frontier, where the Indians of the interior have been re tess for some time, and disposed to quarrel with those who have migrated thither One company has accompanied the caravan to Santa