before his departure. I respectfully request that a supply may be forwarded to him without delay.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FRANCIS J. LIPPITT,

Colonel Second California Vol. Infantry, Commanding Humboldt Mil. Dist.

Major R. C. DRUM, U. S. Army,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Pacific.

P. S. - If any other companies of volunteers are sent here it is very important that I should be furnished with an official list, showing the relative rank of the officers, including those already in the district, especially of the company commanders.

HEADQUARTERS HUMBOLDT MILITARY DISTRICT,
Fort Humboldt, April 7, 1862.

MAJOR: The post of Captain Douglas (Second Infantry California Volunteers) is on the right bank of Redwood Creek, a mile or less below Minor's, and close to the trail which is the great thoroughfare mountain ridge instead (as in usual) of approaching close to the stream and then shelving abruptly down its deep side, shaggy with firs, here draws back its crest to considerable distance, and comes stretching gradually downward to the river side in rather gentle slopes of open pasture land. A small creek skirted with timber falls into the river just above Minor's. Yesterday morning at 5 o'clock a pack train was attacked by six Indians on the open ground a mile from the post. The packers immediately fled, uninjured, so far as is known. The firing being heard at the post, Captain Douglas promptly and silently got his command under arms. he had but a few men in camp, some thirty being out on a scout with Lieutenant Flynn, and eleven being detached to Liscombe's Hill by my orders. Sending five men under Lieutenant Johnson to scour the timber skirting the creek near Minor's, and taking seven men along with him, he made directly for the train, guided by two of the packers who had fled toward his post, and whom he met on the way. On arriving he found the Indians had been pillaging it, and were then burning up what they could not carry away. Owing to the fog and to the feebleness of the daylight, he came upon them unawares. At the volley they received, one of the six fell dead and two were wounded. They fled at once, closely pursued, but one of them turned and fired at Captain Douglas, piercing with the ball a glove which the captain held in his hand. Captain Douglas replied witand the Indian fell wounded, but was finally able to get away with the rest. Lieutenant Johnson saw about twenty Indians. Sergeant Hoalton (Company F, Second Infantry California Volunteers), who brought the captain's dispatch, reports that Lieutenant Johnson's party received some fifteen or twenty shots in the timber, but that none of our men were hurt. It is not improbable that this band was intended to attack Minor's, which was close by. If so, that place was saved by Captain Douglas' presence of mind. At 8 a. m, when his dispatch was written, the captain was about to leave in pursuit, but could not go very far, having to leave a guard for his camp and for Minor's. Being anxious to follow up this band at once, he sent to me for twenty or thirty men. Captain Akey having left on a fifteen days' scout with all the men that can be spared from this post, I have