With many thanks for the kindness of Captain Ferguson, I have the honor to be, captain, your most obedient servant,

B. THOMAS,

Captain, Commanding Fort Pinney.

Captain T. C. MEATYARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 9, 1865. - Operations on the Upper Arkansas,

with skirmish (February 1) at Fort Zarah, Kans.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1. - Colonel James H. Ford, Second Colorado Cavalry, commanding District of the Upper Arkansas.

Numbers 2. - Captain William H. Greene, Second Colorado Cavalry.

Numbers 1. Report of Colonel James H. Ford, Second Colorado Cavalry, commanding District of the Upper Arkansas. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE UPPER ARKANSAS. Fort Riley, Kans., February 9, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to state, for the information of the general commanding, that since my last communication of January 28 up to the present date all is quiet throughout the district. No large parties of Indians have been discovered by our scouts along the line of the Arkansas River, and with the exception of an attack upon a fatigue party chopping wood one mile from Fort Zarah, no casualties have occurred. Upon the morning of the 1st of February a fatigue party of eight men, chopping wood on the Arkansas one mile from Fort Zarah, were fired upon by Indians; one man mortally wounded. Lieutenant Coy, with Company C, Second Cavalry of Colorado, immediately started in pursuit. Th morning being extremely foggy, enabling the Indians to advance under its cover, also concealed their retreat. All that the party sent in pursuit were able to discover was a few moccasin tracks on the sand-bar in the river. On the 6th of February a report was received at these headquarters from Jesse H. Leavenworth, Indian agent, now at Council Grove, that Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, at that place, were in a state of partial mutiny, having shot the lieutenant of their company, mortally wounding him, and had it not been for ten men of Company d, Second Cavalry of Colorado, would have carried into effect their threat of burning the town. Immediately upon receipt of this Lieutenant Wise, Company D, Second Cavalry of Colorado with the available men of his company, proceeded to Council Grove (acting under instructions from these headquarters) to investigate the affair, arrest all the guilty parties, and send them to Fort Riley, Kans.,. for trial. The report having implicated the captain of the company, he was directed to arrest him, and the whole company if necessary. Owing to the messenger not being sent in time the company had left the Grove some six hours before the lieutenant arrived (acting under orders from the commanding officer District of South Kansas) and having passed out of the limits of this district Lieutenant Wise deemed farther