every case where any have been killed they ran at the first sight of the men. Sickness has prevented my makit any earlier date.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. P. MARTIN,

Second Lieutenant, Seventh Infantry, Commanding Detachment.

Captain C. S. LOVELL,

Sixth Infantry, Fort Humboldt, Cal.

JULY 21, 1861. -Skirmish on the South Forkof Eel River, Cal.

Report of Lieutenant James P. Martin, Seventh U. S. Infantry.

CAMP ON THE MATTOLE RIVER, July 25, 1861.

SIR: Your letter of the 12th instant has been received. I have the honor to report that a party, consisting of one officer, two volunteer guides, one interpreter, and two enlisted men, left my camp July 20, 1861, for the purpose of prospecting a route to Shelter Cove. When about twenty-five miles above the mouth of the South Fork of Eel River, and immediately on the river, the party came upon and attacked a rancheria containing about forty Indians. Twelve of the number were killed, among whom, unfortunately, were two wmen; the latter were killed through mistake. I do not know positively that these Indians belong to the tribe at Shelter Cove, but I am satisfied that they had committed depredations on the property of white people, because evidence to that effect was discovered before they were fired upon. One Indian that was captured says that two of the number killed were Shelter Cove Indians. I believe that the Indians in this part of the country are immediately connected with the Shelter Coves, and are perhaps as much concerned in killing stock on the coast as the Shelter Coves themselves. According to their own statement they heop the latter to eat the cattle that are killed, and the Indian above referred to as having been captured stated once that they had assisted in killing white men on the coast, but afterward contradicted this statement. One story is as liable to be true as the other. The country over which the operations of this command have now to be conducted presents more difficulties than any yet operated in, and the greater portion of it is, I think, almost, if not entirely, impassable.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. P. MARTIN,

Second Lieutenant, Seventh Infty., Commanding Detach. Co. D, Sixth Infty.

Captain C. S. LOVELL,

Sixth Infantry, Commanding Fort Humboldt, Cal.

AUGUST 3-12, 1861. -Scout from Fort Crook to Round Valley, Cal., with skirmish (5th) in the Upper Pitt River Valley.

Report of Lieutenant John Feilner, First U. S. Dragoons.

HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Crook, Cal., August 18, 1861.

Captain R. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, San Francisco, Cal.:

SIR: Herewith inclosed I have the honor to forward Lieutenant Feilner's report of a scout after Indians. On account of having lost