The company being ordered to Fort Snelling, where the headquarters of the regiment were, left Kingston on the 27th of February, on the arrival of Company H, which relieved it, and traveled, in sleighs mostly, by the way of Clear Water and Dayton, reaching the fort on the 1st of March. Quarters were assigned it in the old barracks, near the sutler's store, and the usual routine of drill and guard duty began again. Here Fandel joined, sick, and Griebler rejoined. Jakobi was detailed as company bugler on the 22nd, and John rejoined on the 29th. Private Kobelitz was on the 1st of April honorably discharged, for disability. The regiment went into camp on the river, about a mile above the fort, on the 4th, and Sibley tents were issued as before. George Paulson left on detached service for Yellow Medicine on the 12th, afterwards (in June) acting as orderly at regimental headquarters. William Gabbert, a Prussian, resident of St. Paul, enlisted as private in the company on the 13th. Privates Griebler and Maurer left on the 17th on a (forged) pass, but did not return at the proper time, and were afterwards found to have deserted. Privates Harrfeldt, W. A. Hill, and Meyer were, by District order of the 1st of May, transferred to the Third Minnesota Battery.
INDIAN CAMPAIGN IN MINNESOTA AND DAKOTA--1863-64.
At the end of April, 1863, orders were received to rendezvous at Camp Pope on the upper Minnesota River. Fifteen of the men had to be left behind at the fort, viz.: J. J. Mueller and Reimers, on detached service; and Becker, Fandel, Gantner, John, Kellermann, Knobelsdorff, Koenig, Mann, J. Mueckenhausen, Peterson, Schauer, Scheer, and Wolf, sick. On the 28th of April Companies E and D embarked on the steamboat Favorite, but could go no further by water than to within about three miles of Mankato, thence going on foot, arriving at their destination on the 5th of May.
Camp Pope was not an original settlement, but a spot selected especially as a base of operations against the Indians; for which purpose storehouses had been erected there. It was situated on the river about a mile and a quarter above the crossing of the Red Wood River. On the reassembling of the regiment the company held the same rank (5th) and position (7th) as before, but had as neighbors Company G on the right and Company I on the left.