Today in History:

568 Series I Volume IX- Serial 9 - Roanoke

Page 568 OPERATIONS IN TEX., N. MEX., AND ARIZ. Chapter XXI.

as bearer of dispatches to the commander of the Department of the Pacific. Copies of these documents are herewith inclosed, marked N. On September I received Special Orders, No. 153 (marked O), directing me to relieve Brigadier-General Canby in the command of the Department of New Mexico. Previous to this order I had published General Orders, Numbers 17, which posted a company of infantry at Franklin, Tex., and another one at Hart's Mill. Tex. It is herewith inclosed, marked P.

On September 1 I put t Texan prisoners of war whom I found at Franklin on their parole, and sent them on their way to San Antonio, Tex., escorted by Company D, First California Volunteer Cavalry. (See my letter to the commanding officer of the Confederate forces, San Antonio, Tex., marked Q.) I then returned to Las Cruces, N. Mex., where I published General Orders, Numbers 20 (marked R), regulating the affairs of the District of Arizona and transferring the command of that district to Colonel Joseph R. West, First California Volunteer Infantry. (I still retain the command of the Column from California, and shall cause all the reports which you require in your letter to me, dated at San Francisco, May 30, to be sent to the headquarters Department of the Pacific, until I am otherwise ordered by competent authority.) I then proceeded to Santa Fe, arriving here on the 16th instant.

General Canby relinquished the command of the Department of New Mexico on the 18th instant. (See General Orders, Numbers 83, marked S.) I assumed command of the department on the same day. (See General Orders, Numbers 84, marked T.)

Some additional changes have been made of the troops pertaining to the Column from California, which are indicated in a letter to Colonel West, dated September 8 (marked U), and in another dated September 9, (marked V); also two others, dated September 14 (marked W and X, respectively).

I inclose for your information three communications (marked Y).*

I also inclose a copy of an order directing Lieutenant Colonel Edward E. Eyre, First California Volunteer Cavalry, to bear these dispatches to the headquarters Department of the Pacific; it is marked Z.

These various communications will give General Wright a pretty good idea of the operations of the troops composing the Column from California from July 22, of this year, to the present time.

I find that the supply of provisions in this department is adequate to the wants of all the troops from California now serving here, and therefore respectfully recommend that no more subsistence stores be purchased for the Column from California until further advices on this subject. I propose to transport from Fort Yuma to Tucson during the cool weather of the fall and winter a large quantity of subsistence stores now in excess as the former post, so as to provide for the contingency of other troops being ordered to New Mexico from California; to provide for the troops already stationed in Arizona, and to form a magazine in case of any reverses her which may lead destruction of our present stores or oblige the California or other troops to retire towards the Pacific. When these supplies have ben accumulated at Tucson by a train now employed for that purpose that train will be required for service in this department; meantime it can be used as transportation from Fort Yuma to the Rio Grande for any troops which General Wright may order from the Department of the Pacific into Arizona or New Mexico.

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* Not found.

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Page 568 OPERATIONS IN TEX., N. MEX., AND ARIZ. Chapter XXI.