HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY,
Kansas City, Mo., May 31, 1865.

Captain JOHN PRATT,

A. A. G., Dist. of North Kansas, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Special Orders, Numbers 106, circular, in reference to General Orders, Numbers 86, War Department, and letter of transmittal and instructions of date May 29, 1865, this afternoon, and in reply to state that-

First. I will faithfully endeavor to carry out instructions designed for troops stationed at Papinsville.

Second. The effective strength of the ten companies of my command is 31 officers and 805 enlisted men. With the horses which I expect to arrive by boat from Leavenworth to-morrow morning, the mount will be complete. The equipment is complete.

Third. The detachments are already supplied with necessary orders, and will leave here immediately on the arrival of the boat to-morrow morning.

Fourth. I have now forty-one wagons subject to my order, and will endeavor to take forage and subsistence in such proportion as will prevent suffering in my command, conforming to your orders as near as possible.

Fifth. Your orders in relation to returning the wagon train to Paola will be obeyed without unnecessary delay. I have made the following disposition of my regiment, other than companies at Papinsville: Company C, Captain J. H. Waite, 3 officers, 89 men, to Trading Post; Company L, Captain R. St. G. Dyhrenfurth, 2 officers and 78 men, to report to Major Reynolds, at Fort Scott; Company E, Captain Charles Parker, 2 officers and 80 men, Company G, Captain Cyrus Hutchinson, 2 officers and 80 men, and Company D, Captain John Herbert, 3 officers and 75 men, to report to Colonel C. W. Blair, to relieve Forty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry. I notice that the general has changed his intention of having all the companies report direct to me (except reports of the enemy), as expressed to me verbally while here. Am I now to understand that the four companies (C, E, G, and D) are still subject to my orders wholly, and if not so, to what extent are they so subject, if any? I have no feeling in the matter whatever, and merely wish explicit information to prevent a clashing of authority. I also forward by this mail a list of the officers of this regiment who desire to be examined for retention in the Army of the United States permanently. This list I forward direct to Brigadier General, J. H. Hammond, construing your order to so direct.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. J. HYNES,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry.

U. S. CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS,

Fort Larned, Kans., May 31, 1865.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Commanding Military Division of the Missouri:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that I joined the Congressional committee to investigate Indian affairs in Kansas, New Mexico, &c., at Leavenworth City on the 16th instant. On May 20 we started for the plains, arriving at this post this a. m. The Comanche, Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Arapaho tribes being at war, and now mostly south of the