right Major-General Hindman has to make him one. He is an assistant commissary of subsistence, with the rank of major, and Major Quesenbury, my brigade or department quartermaster, is major by an older commission. He will not regard orders coming to him from Major Pearce, nor shall I in any way pay any attention to Major Pearce, but continue to take care of my own command.

I earnestly hope that these matters will be at once set right. This Indian country was made a department in November, and should not be attached to another country to form a district. My quartermaster and commissary should be entirely independent of all others, and all funds for the service here should be forwarded direct to them. In February last funds were sent to Majors Clark and Cabell for this command. They never reached it. I go some $520,000 from the former about a month since by sending a special agent to him. We cannot get along that way.

While I am here there will be no fine contracts for mules, hay, keeping of mules, beef on the hoof at long figures, or anything, of the kind. Fort Smith is very indignant at this, and out of this grief grows the anxious desire of many patriots to see me resign the command of this country or be removed.

There is a simple remedy for all this mischief. It is to make this again a department, and let the officer in command, whoever he may be, have no master except those at Richmond. If you choose to call for copies of Major-General Hindman's general orders you will readily discover why it will be impossible for me to consent to remain here long if every movement I make is to be dictated by him.

I am, very respectfully, yours,

ALBERT PIKE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Dept. of Indian Territory.

[Inclosure.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF INDIAN TERRITORY, No.-.
Fort McCulloch, June 25, 1862.

I. The Indian country was created a department by order of the Secretary of War on the 22nd day of November, 1861, and Brigadier General Albert Pike was assigned to the command of it and of all the Indian troops that then were or thereafter might be raised in the department. That order has never been rescinded, or if rescinded no notice of it has ever been received.

II. Colonel Douglas H. Cooper, the ranking officer in the department next after the brigadier-general commanding, has been ordered by general orders, dated the 23rd day of June instant, into the country north of the Canadian, and placed in command of all the troops there or that may be sent there except Lieutenant Colonel John Jumper's Seminole battalion, and including al white troops now in, or that hereafter may come into, any part of that country.

III. Colonel Cooper will proceed with as little delay as possible to assume the indicated command, and will permit no interference with his authority. All troops whatever in the district of country mentioned, from the Canadian to the Kansas line, will be under his command, and receive their orders from him. No troops will be suffered to remain in that country as independent corps or bodies, and all will make their regular reports to him.

IV. No officer of the Missouri State Guard, whatever his rank, unless he has a command adequate to his rank, can ever exercise or assume