that when You send them off anywhere You send a few of Your men with them to prevent any parties of our troops meeting them from firing on or molesting them. You will also treat them well.

Very respectfully, Your obedient servant,

J. E. TAPPAN,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF NORTH KANSAS, Numbers 120.
Fort Leavenworth, June 14, 1865.

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4. In accordance with instructions from major-general commanding the department, the work known as Fort Sully, adjacent to this post will be abandoned. The ordnance and ordnance stores will be turned over to Major McNutt, in charge of Leavenworth Arsenal. The lumber will be taken charge of by the post quartermaster for use at this post.

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By order of Brigadier General Robert B. Mitchell:

JOHN PRATT,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY,

Papinsville, Mo., June 14, 1865.

Captain JOHN PRATT,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. of North Kansas, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to explain my delay in not acting upon Your first telegraphic order to abandon this point at once and proceed to Humboldt, Kans., as directed. At the time of its reception I had not a single wheel, except an ambulance, at my disposal, all having gone to Kansas City for supplies, and not considering that You could be aware of my situation, I deemed it advisable to acquaint You before proceeding to execute an order which would involve the abandonment not only of public stores but of officers' private baggage. In accordance with Your second telegraphic order Companies K (First Lieutenant Edward P. Grosvenor) and I (First Lieutenant James S. Upham) left here yesterday morning for Humboldt, with instructions to report to Colonel U. B. Pearsall, commanding First Sub-District, for orders. My wagon train returned this afternoon, and, although it is well jaded, I shall leave here in the morning for Humboldt. I leave the major portion of my forage with Major J. D. Butts, whom I have established at Burnett's Ferry, on the Marais des Cygnes, about seven miles southwest of Butler and about twelve miles southeast of Trading Post, with two companies (H and F), commanded, respectively, by Captain Samuel W. Smith and First Lieutenant William W. Black. The Bates County Militia are stationed at Pleasant Gap, and from numbers of them who have called upon me I learn that Burnett's Ferry is the only point at which a force can be effective, and as it was in conformity to my orders I orders I deemed it the best effective, and as it was in conformity to my orders I deemed it the best point to establish a post. I leave with major Butts all the instructions received by myself for my government while at this point. I have heard various rumors from the militia and from other sources that guerrillas infest this country, but I cannot help expressing my honest convictions that they are founded solely upon the vivid imaginations of their originators and by the terror of the inhabitants, who mistake our