rest of the country. I returned about 1.30 p. m., and encamped at O'Campo's ranch. At 6.30 p. m. O'Campo came home. I immediately, or as soon as possible, sent a servant (a Spaniard) on the trail leading from that place to Temecula, with the instructions that you turned over to me. He started at 7 p. m. November 20, and returned on the 21st, at 6.30 p. m., and reported of having seen no party or parties of men either on the trail or at Temecula; also having made inquiries, but did not hear of any party or parties of men approaching. He reports the trail being rough, hilly, and very bad for traveling. The trail passes through several small villages, which are as follows: From Santa Isabel to Mesa de Stata, 3 miles; to Mesa Grande, 6 miles; to La Joya, 9 miles; to La Pioche, 1 miles; to Posteau, 1 mile; to Pauma, 8 miles; to Pala, 12 miles; to Temecula, 8 miles; whole distance 48 miles. There is also a trail leading from Buena Vista (two miles from here), and passes over the mountains to San José, on the Los Angeles road. The Temecula trail crosses it at La Mesa Grande (some three miles from Buena Vista); there is also another trail which leads from Santa Isabel to San Felipe; it is a pretty good road for horses (but impassable for wagons); examined it for about five miles; there is considerable travel on it. At 1 p. m. November 21 sent out a party of three men on the San Diego road. They returned at 4.30 p. m., and reported no persons seen on the road for twelve miles. They saw a Spaniard (well known to Mr. O'Campo, who says that he is a Union man) who says that he left Los Angeles on the 18th of November, but did not see or hear of any party or parties of men going south, and that it was quiet as usual along the road. There is an Indian village on the San Diego road, about thirty-one miles from Camp Wright, called San Pasqual. It is near the junction of the San Pedro and San Diego roads. From this village there is a trail that leads to Viecito, and another trail about three or four miles this side of the village (San Pasqual) that goes to San Felipe. Left camp at Santa Isabel 6.30 a. m., and arrived at Camp Wright at 8.30 a. m. November 22, 1861.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. R. WELLMAN, Second Lieut., First Cavalry California Vols., Comdg. Detachment. Maj. E. A. RIGG,

First Infantry California Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS CAMP WRIGHT,

Oak Grove Station, November 30, 1861. MAJOR: Pursuant to special orders, dated November 27, 1861, I proceeded in search of a party of men at Temecula, going toward the Colorado. Arriving at the Dutchman's, Geftarêus, I met a man by the name of Hamilton, who said that he (Hamilton) was in search of a man (he not knowing his name) that had taken his horse; that the said man was with another called Sumner. I searched him. I found nothing on him, with the exception of a slip of paper that I gave you last night. After I examined him (Hamilton) I proceeded to Temecula, and arrived there at 11 p. m. November 27. I made inquiries of the party in question, but could get no other information than that a party of sixteen men had been there on the night of the 26th, and had left for parts unknown on the morning of the 27th, at 10 o'clock. On the morning of the 28th I took their trail, via Temecula, within about one-quarter of a mile of Mr. Winter's ranch. About 8.30 p. m. I camped there for the night without water or forage. Early on the morning of the 29th I

discovered the party that I went in search of. They were encamped at John Winter's ranch. I saddled up and proceeded with my detachment to their camp, and proceeded to question them as to their business, destination, and purpose, to which I received the following reply: That their destination was Sonora, Mexico; that their mission was peaceable, and the reason of their taking that route was to avoid any unpleasant difficulty with the troops of the Government. I then asked them if they would go with me peaceably to Oak Grove, and there undergo an examination. The most of them appeared willing. There were two or three that demurred. Showalter was one of them. He (Showalter) said he did not see why they could not be allowed to proceed quietly, as other parties had, and as for himself he should say no decidedly, and he would take the consequences, but finally said that he would abide by the decision of the company. The company wanted that I should pledge my word that if there was nothing-no evidence of treason or disloyalty—against them that they would or should be released and be allowed to go about their business, to which I assented. At about 9 a. m. proceeded en route for Oak Grove Station, by the way of Buena Vista, Drycke's ranch, and La Puerta. At La Puebla los Indians I was joined by Lieutenant Vestal with a detachment of Company D, First Regiment California Volunteer Infantry (with a detachment of twenty men), and finally arrived at camp at Oak Grove at 6 p. m. November 29, 1861. I forgot to state that I sent to you at Warner's ranch word that I would move on slowly toward Oak Grove, and to send me more assistance, and to meet me at the Indian village, which you did.

Recapitulation: Started from camp at Oak Grove at 3.30 p.m. November 27. Arrested Hamilton at Geftarêus' at 6 p. m. Arrived at Temecula at 11.30. Left Temecula about 8 a. m. November 28. Arrived near Winter's ranch at 8.30 p. m. Arrested the party in question the following morning. Started the party from Winter's at 8 or 9 a. m. November 29. Lieutenant Vestal overtook me about 3 p. m. November 29. Arrived at Camp Wright November 29 at 6 p. m.

Very respectfully, I am, your obedient servant,

C. R. WELLMAN, Second Lieut., First Cavalry California Vols., Comdg. Detachment. Maj. E. A. RIGG,

First Infantry California Volunteers, Comdg. at Camp Wright.

CAMP WRIGHT, December 3, 1861. MAJOR: Pursuant to special orders from headquarters at Camp Wright, dated December 1, 1861, I left camp at 11 p. m. December 1, 1861, en route for Temecula, with eight men of my detachment and proceeded to the above-named place; arrived at Temecula about one hour before daylight December 2. At daylight I made a thorough but fruitless search for the parties in question. The men, two in number, that were encamped at Temecula had left their camping place and had gone back to San Bernardino. This was the statement of Mr. Ritchie,. of Temecula. The man Morgan that was at Temecula had gone to San Luis Mission, and, on learning that, I followed after him, leaving Temecula at 9 a. m. December 2, and arrived at the Mission of San Luis about 6 p. m. Having found Mr. Morgan at Mr. Tibbetts' ranch (near San Luis), I arrested him and started on the morning of the 3d of December for Camp Wright, bringing the prisoner along with me;

arrived at Camp Wright at 9.45 p.m. December 3, 1861. While I was at Temecula I secured a number of letters of a suspicious character, the same I turned over to you.

Recapitulation: I left Camp Wright on the 1st day of December, 1861, at 11 p. m.; arrived at Temecula December 2, at 5 a. m.-delayed for four hours in a fruitless search for two men that had been encamped near that place; started at 2 a. m. same day for San Luis Mission, on the San Diego road; arrived at Tibbetts' ranch, near the Mission, at or about sundown same day; left San Luis for Camp Wright at 2 a. m. on the 3d of December; came by the way of San Luis Rey Mission to Temecula. Arrived at Temecula at 2.45; fed the horses and proceeded to Camp Wright, arriving there at 9.45. The road is very good most of the way. Distance traveled from Oak Grove to Temecula, 25 miles; from Temecula to San Luis Mission, by the San Diego road, 26 miles; from San Luis to Temecula, by San Luis Rey, 35 miles, making the distance traveled 111 miles.

Your obedient servant,

C. R. WELLMAN,

Second Lieutenant, First Cavalry California Volunteers.

Maj. E. A. RIGG,

First Infantry California Volunteers, Comdg. Camp Wright.

MARCH 19-APRIL 28, 1862.-Expedition from Camp Latham to Owen's River, Cal., with skirmish (April 9) near Bishop's Creek, in the Owen's River Valley.

Report of Lieut. Col. George S. Evans, Second California Cavalry. CAMP LATHAM, April 29, 1862.

Maj. R. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco:

MAJOR: Inclosed I have the honor to forward a report of my expedition to Owen's River, pursuant to Special Orders, No. 7, issued by Col. George W. Bowie, Fifth Infantry California Volunteers."

Hoping that my action in the premises may meet the approbation of the general commanding the Department of the Pacific, I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. S. EVANS,

Lieutenant-Colonel Second Cavalry California Volunteers.

CAMP LATHAM, April 29, 1862. MAJOR: In pursuance of Special Orders, No. 7, a copy of which is hereto annexed, I have the honor to forward through you to the general commanding the Department of the Pacific the following report:

I started from Los Angeles on the 19th day of March, 1862, and arrived at Owen's Lake on the 2d day of April, a distance, as laid down by the map of the country, made by Captain Davidson, of the U. S. Army, at 302 miles. On the 4th day of April I reached Putnam's Store, or what is known now as The Fort, situated on Pine Creek, forty-three miles above Owen's Lake. Here I found some twelve or fifteen men and some women and children, and learned, for the first time, something of the real condition of affairs in the valley and of the difficulties with the Indians. I found that the settlers had for some considerable time been threatened by the Indians, and been hemmed in at The Fort, so called; that the Indians had collected together several hundred warriors, and had threatened to kill every white man in the valley; that they claimed that the country east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and particularly Owen's River Valley, belonged to them, and said that no white man should live there; that they had killed two men that were known of, one by the name of Taylor and one known as Yank, and had burned every house and everything in the shape of improvements in the lower part of the valley. I also learned that some time about the 20th of March there had been a fight at the Lone Pine between twenty white men, under command of Captain Anderson, of Aurora, and about forty Indians, in which engagement 11 Indians were killed and 3 white men wounded; that since that time some assistance had arrived from Visalia and Aurora, and that some sixty men had started up two days before my arrival at The Fort to give the Indians battle. I immediately prepared to move on to their assistance. I left Captain Winne with seven men in charge of wagons and to assist in protecting The Fort; took twelve of my best mules, packed them, and started up the valley on the morning of April 5.

On the 6th, at about 9 a. m., I met the citizen soldiers retreating back for The Fort. I stopped them and we camped together at what is known as Big Pine Creek, about thirty miles above The Fort. Here we found and buried the bodies of two men, a Mr. Talman and a Mr. Hanson, who had been killed by the Indians apparently some two weeks previous when on the way down from Aurora. I learned from the citizen soldiers that they had come upon the Indians the day before, about

twenty miles above; had given them battle and got badly whipped; that the Indians, numbering some 400 or 500, a great many of them with good fire-arms, had come out of the cañons and mountain ravines and charged them, attempting to surround them, and had driven the whites back some two miles to a stich, which they took possession of, and with the advantage of which they had managed to keep the Indians off until night, when under cover of the darkness they made good their retreat to where I met them, losing 3 men, 18 horses and mules, and all their provisions. After hearing this statement of facts I told Colonel Mayfield, who was in charge or command of the citizen soldiers, that I intended going on in the morning, and that if there were as many Indians as represented my force of thirty-three men would be a very small one to contend against them and would therefore like to have his men go with me. On the 7th, when I got ready to march, Colonel Mayfield reported to me with about forty men, the rest having declined returning. With this force I moved on, and when within eight miles of the battle-ground I saw moving objects some three miles off to my right. I immediately halted the command and sent Lieutenant French out with five men to reconnoiter and report the result. He soon returned and reported it to be Lieutenant Noble, of Company A, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, with fifty men from Fort Churchill on his way down to Putnam's Store to the relief of the citizens. After halting until Lieutenant Noble's command came up, I moved on to the battle-ground, which I reached about 3 p. m. Found no Indians. Moved on three miles to Bishop's Pine Creek and camped for the night. I then sent down and had the bodies of the killed brought up and buried on the south bank of the creek.

April 8, I sent out scouts in three different parties of five each to look for the Indian trail. At about 1 p. m. I met one of the scouts, sent back by Lieutenant Oliver, who reported the Indians to be in force about twelve miles from there. I moved the command on briskly, and arrived on the ground where the Indians were supposed to be at 3 p. m., but found no Indians, they having scattered at our approach and took to the hills like partridges, and after riding two hours over the hills in a pitiless hail-storm, was compelled to go back into the valley to camp for the night without catching an Indian. April 9, left camp at sunup, and had traveled some three miles when I saw my scouts off to my left about entering a cañon. I immediately halted the command to await the result of their investigation, but had halted but a few moments when I heard the report of fire-arms. I immediately ordered Lieutenant French with twenty men to move up on a gallop, the rest of the command moving up at the same time at a more moderate gait until we met the scouts, who reported that they had been fired upon by the Indians; that Private Gillespie, of Company A, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, was killed, and Corporal Harris, of the same company and regiment, wounded. I then moved the men up to within 400 yards of the mouth of the cañon, dismounted, and prepared to fight on foot. Upon an examination of the ground or stronghold selected by the Indians, I was fearful that it would be an impossibility to dislodge them without the aid of a mountain howitzer, but still could not know the fact without making the attempt. In order to recover the body of Private Gillespie that had been left in the cañon where killed, and at the same time to determine by actual experiment the possibility or impossibility of ascending the mountain and getting at the Indians, it was necessary to get posses. sion of the points covering the mouth of the cañon, so I ordered Lieutenant Noble and Lieutenant Oliver with forty men to ascend the point on the left, while I took Lieutenant French and forty men to the right,